Promises
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: A sequel to Decisions. This fic follows Rumple and Regina as they continue to work on their family relationship and deal with new obstacles in Storybrooke. Picks up in 2x10. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a sequel to another fic of mine called Decisions. I had a few reviewers who said they'd like one and I figured why not? I apologise that it has taken me so long to get this up and running but hopefully you'll enjoy it. _

_This picks up around 2x10 and will follow how Rumple and Regina deal with the Cora situation and their familial relationship. _

_I don't own Once or its characters, but I wish I did. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it:)_

_*Sidenote to the readers of this and any other fics of mine, a thunderstorm here knocked out my modem so I won't have the internet for 5 working days*_

I frown standing on the dock feeling the fresh sea air whistle around me. I scan the marina looking for what I cannot see. Last night after I had dinner with Regina I promised I would protect her and I will keep that promise. Unfortunately I know there is something here in Storybrooke. I frown knowing that if what I sense turns out to be true that I will have to warn Regina. I would have mentioned it earlier today but she seemed so happy that Henry and Miss Swan invited them to a welcome party at Granny's that I couldn't bring myself to ruin that. I continue walking along the dock, the only sound the occasional lap of waves and the tap of my cane, before pausing next to the bait shop. The energy has changed here. I can feel the magnetic pull of the darker energy which only grows with every step I take towards it. I stop when I feel the energy swell, three hundred years of practising magic and studying it means I can easily find the source of the magic. I felt it early this morning, a disturbance in the magical field of Storybrooke. It could only be one person: Cora.

I slowly push my hand forward before a slight ripple emerges from where she has placed an invisibility spell. I nod before turning and walking away. There's no sense in facing her yet. I have no idea what her plans are and I know I cannot risk confronting her unprepared, not when I have so much to lose. Back in our land it used to be easy to do battle with that wretched woman, back then all I had was the memory of a lost son. Now I have Belle who I won't under any circumstance let Cora get her hooks in to. I have Regina, our relationship is slowly building and I have no intention of breaking my promise to her.

The walk back to my shop somehow seems longer now I have confirmed my fears. That seer all those years ago was right. Knowledge is at times a heavy burden to bear and unfortunately for now it is one I bear alone. I wave to Regina as I see her walking towards the diner, she waves back before flashing a nervous smile my way. Seeing that is enough for me to know that I can't burden her with her mother's arrival yet. I'll give her tonight I think though I know that I can't keep the truth from her for long.

I can warn Belle the next time we have lunch. Hopefully by then I'll have a plan in place to keep her and my daughter safe.

* * *

I grin to myself as I add the final ingredient to the potion, hopefully this will enable me to cross the boundary safely, after all it's better to be safe than sorry. Now I just have to find a test subject for it. I smirk thinking of a few people who would certainly do for such a job.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of my shop door slamming. I wince slightly hearing the bell clang angrily against the door frame as I wonder which disgruntled Storybrooke resident has come to disturb my peace. I sigh, may as well deal with them sooner rather than later. I walk out preparing to dismiss whoever it is with a remark on their manners but halt myself when I see my visitor.

My daughter stands before the counter, her mask not even slightly in face as she wears a sad slightly angry betrayed expression. I have a feeling that things have gone downhill since the party yesterday. "Hello Regina. Everything alright dearie?"

She looks at me with a half-hearted scowl, "No"

"Do you want to talk?" I ask wondering what has upset her so.

She sighs before nodding "Can we not talk here?" she asks glancing around. I nod before guiding her through to the back room.

I sit across from her as she describes in detail the party, the reaction of that pesky dwarf, the fact that she was basically ignored all evening – I can tell in spite of her attempt at indifference that it hurt her, her conversation with Emma Swan, her voice breaks at the mention of Henry and I pass her a tissue before she continues to tell me about Archie. I can see this is what's bothering her most today, the perceived betrayal of someone she thought she could trust.

"I know he didn't tell her anything specific but still he wasn't supposed to tell anyone" she finishes with an annoyed frown.

"Regina he shouldn't have told Emma but I don't think he meant to betray you" I begin. "I trusted him" she cuts in. I move slightly to sit next to her, "I think you can still trust him Regina. The cricket may have gained his qualification from a curse but he would never tell anyone any details about things you've discussed with him"

"It just feels like a betrayal" she says turning to me.

"I know Regina but he only told Emma you visited him so that he could help you"

"On some level I know that. I just lost my temper I think" she replies looking a little guilty, "I should apologise to him"

I nod "That's a good idea"

"Do you think he'll still want to help me?" she asks. I can hear the apprehension in her tone knowing full well how much betrayal has hurt her and that I too have contributed to why she struggles so much to trust people. I offer her what I hope is a reassuring smile, "I'm sure he will Regina. The cricket does seem to be of a forgiving nature"

She breathes out a small sigh of relief "I hope so" she moves to stand but I quickly reach out and grab her hand stilling her. I pause but I know that I can't afford to not be honest with her not when our relationship is still fragile. At a time like this I know if I hide this from her only for her to find out from someone else that it will shatter what small trust I've managed to build with her. "Before you go I need to tell you something"

"Can it wait?"

I shake my head, "I wish that it could Regina but unfortunately this is a matter that you need to know about and sooner rather than later"

She frowns confusedly before sitting back down. I can feel her gaze studying my own serious expression. "What is it Rumple?" her voice ringing with worry and impatience.

"Early this morning I felt a shift in the magic of this town. I followed the path of the magic until I found its source"

"Get to it Rumple" she snaps as I pause. I look up at her face and in spite of her irritated tone I can see the traces of fear in her eyes.

"The magic originated from the docks and it was a magical signature I recognised, one in fact I think I'll never forget" I look up to her once more before adding, "Your mother is here Regina"

I see her visibly gulp and she doesn't begin to contain her fear, "Did you see her? What does she want? What is she going to do?"

She's clearly panicking and so I move to sit in front of her before I slowly place my hand on her shoulder, "Regina, I didn't see her and at the moment I don't know what she has planned for our little town but I'll find out"

At that she shakes her head, "No, please don't go after her"

I blink in confusion, "I thought you'd want me to stop her"

She nods before whispering "I don't want her to hurt you"

I can't help but smile at the quiet reply. I can tell it's still difficult for her to let herself be open and vulnerable but she cares and that is enough for me to agree not to face Cora alone. I suppose for her the difficulty is that those who she cares about have seldom remained with her. I vow there and then not to risk making her lose someone else.

"I've handled your mother before Regina. I can assure you I'll be fine"

"No. You can't know that Rumple. You know what she's like and she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants" she leaves her statement hanging since we both have an inkling what Cora is after.

"Regina" I say my voice sounding more confident then I feel as I tilt her face so I can look her in the eye as I make this promise, "Cora won't hurt you again"

She looks at me doubtfully, "She'll come for me"

"Trust me Regina. I promise you that I will not let Cora get to you"

"You'll keep me safe?" she asks hopefully.

I nod as she leans forward to give me a hesitant hug. I smile at the gesture before holding her securely in my arms, "Yes Regina. I promise I will keep you safe" I feel the weight of my promise hanging over my heart and mind but looking down at my daughter anchoring her arms around my neck I know it's one I must keep.

_Thank you for reading, let me know what you thought of it :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: My apologies in the delay in getting this up. For those following my other two fics please bear with me, they will be sorted out in the next few days. Spoilers (sort of) for 2x10 in this chapter. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

For safety I decide to invite Regina to stay at my house tonight. She initially resists the idea but I think we're both aware that if Cora's here then her house is likely to be a target. Regina stays stoically quiet throughout the drive over but when I chance a look over at her face I can see the underlying fear about facing her mother again. When we pull up she moves to get out of the car but I stop her by grabbing her wrist. I realise my mistake when I see the flash of panic on her face at the motion and quickly remove my grasp.

"My apologies dearie" I say quietly holding my hands up in surrender. "It's fine" she mumbles trying to brush it off.

"I am sorry Regina. I didn't realise"

"Honestly it's fine, you didn't know"

"I should have done"

The silence hangs over us for a few moments as we both share a look of understanding that there's still so much that we don't know about each other yet. I break the silence that has become stifling in the confines of my vehicle, "What's on your mind?"

She blinks in confusion, "I beg your pardon?"

"You've been quiet the whole drive over, I was just wondering why"

She doesn't answer, instead biting her lip and looking away out the window. Careful not to startle her I tilt her head back up and turn it slowly to face me. "If you don't want to tell me you don't have to but if you want to talk I'm here Regina"

Her gaze fixes on me, searching for any sign of a lie before she sighs and nods, "Maybe later on?"

I nod before moving to get out the car, "Wait here Regina" at her curious look I explain, "I feel it would be wise to put up a protection ward against your mother"

"What if we're wrong?" she asks as I move to walk up the drive. "What do you mean dearie?"

"What if we're wrong about her first target being my house? What if she comes here instead? It is after all a possibility given your history"

"I'd know if she was here already Regina"

"How?"

"Remember what I taught you about magic signatures?" she nods. "If your mother was here I'd be able to sense it"

"I'd still rather come with you" I can tell this is something she is unlikely to cede, after all she has always wanted to see things with her own eyes rather than merely rely on the evidence of others. I sigh before giving in, "Fine but stay close"

* * *

It is only after the protection spell is up and Regina has settled herself onto the couch that I remember that I've also invited Belle over tonight for dinner. I suppose it is about time that the three of us spend time together in the same room. As much bad history as the three of us have I'll admit that I would like to be able to have a meal with both my daughter and the woman I love.

When the doorbell rings I ignore Regina's curious expression and guide Belle straight into the kitchen. She frowns at the rushed greeting but offers me a cheery "Hello Rumple" regardless. I feel that familiar flutter in my heart at seeing her smile before asking her to sit.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

At my confused look she adds, "I can tell when you're worried Rumple, so what's going on?"

"Cora's in town"

"Cora? As in Regina's mother Cora?"

"Yes dearie, I need you to promise me something"

At my serious expression she quickly comes to my side, "I would do anything for you Rumple"

"Firstly I need you to stay safe"

"Rumple I'll be fine" I cut her off, "I know you think that Belle but Cora is very dangerous and she will stop at nothing to get what she desires most and that could mean using you to get to me so you must promise me that you will let me keep you safe"

She nods before wrapping her arms around my neck, "Alright"

"There's more, if the worst does happen I need you to make sure Regina is protected from her mother"

She pulls away with a horrified expression, "Rumple don't, you'll be fine"

"We don't know that my darling Belle and just in case I need to make sure you two will be safe"

She pauses, "I will do my best to help her but you are _not_ dying" she says confidently. I smile before pulling her into a tight embrace as I hope her words ring true.

* * *

Dinner passes in slightly awkward and stilted conversation but was generally rather pleasant. I pause before asking Belle if she wishes to stay here, I know she'll more than likely return to her own room at Granny's but I must at least make the offer. "I'll be safe there Rumple, I'll come by the shop tomorrow for lunch" she says before placing a small kiss on my cheek.

"I'll look forward to that, be careful" she nods at my parting words before offering a small wave to my still very quiet daughter. I frown, for most of the evening she hasn't really been her usual self, no snappy comebacks, just small quiet replies when directly spoken to. I shut the door and turn to her, "Do you wish to talk?"

She nods slowly and walks into the living room without another word. I follow before sitting across from her. "So dearie what's on your mind?"

"I've been thinking about my mother, more specifically who she might go after as a means of getting to me" she pauses with a worried expression on her face and I know immediately who she thinks Cora will go after, "Henry" I say and she nods grimly.

"I think we need to warn Miss Swan so she and her parents can make sure he's protected. I doubt they will accept my help in the matter but if they know about Cora they can at least put measures in place to keep him safe"

I nod sensing her unease about having to place her son's safety in the hands of her former enemies. "I'm sure they won't allow him to come to any harm"

"I know, I would just prefer it if they would allow me to be more involved"

I nod again sensing there's more on her mind than her son's welfare, "I'm sure eventually they'll come around dearie, just be patient. Is there anything else?"

She stares solemnly at her hands for a few minutes before fixing me with a serious expression though I can see tears prickling at the edges, "Are you going to die?"

I frown, "Why would you think that?"

"I overheard you talking to Belle, do you think my mother is going to try and kill you?"

I sigh before answering, "I've considered that it might be a possibility"

"No" she says standing up before beginning to pace my incredibly worn carpet, "We can't let her. You _promised_" she emphasises the last word before continuing, "You promised to keep me safe and you can't do that if you're d…dead so you c…can't" her voice breaks and trails off at this point so I stand so I can move to still the pacing woman. She stops in front of me with her head bowed. "Regina, look at me" when she doesn't I tilt her head back up, "Regina you don't need to worry about me. I won't let Cora kill me, I've only broken one deal in my life dearie and trust me I won't break my promise to you"

She sniffs before nodding, "You better not Rumple" I smile as she attempts to make light of the situation though I can tell her fears are still weighing heavily upon her.

I make sure to keep my reply sincere, "I won't"

She offers me a watery smile, "Okay, I'm going to go to bed now"

"Okay dearie, good night"

* * *

I yawn as I mill around the shop knowing I really should re-organise some of these dusty old trinkets, hard to do business when people fear you and all. I wonder briefly if Regina has managed to warn the Charming clan yet, hopefully they will see reason and let them help her but somehow I have my doubts, after all they do seem to insist on placing their faith in the magic of those pesky fairies instead.

The morning so far has passed tediously, only a few people have wandered in today with panicked expressions as they come to buy back their possessions from the Enchanted Forest. Other than that my day has thus far been spent thinking about the many ways in which Cora could strike.

My thoughts are interrupted by the jarring sound of the bell. Regina walks in, fresh tear stains down her cheeks, and begins pacing around my shop running her hands through her hair.

"Regina, what happened?" I ask now worried as to how her morning has been.

"Archie's dead. T…they think I…I did it"

Doctor Hopper? Of all people I wasn't expecting him to be Cora's first target, the reason clicks as my daughter continues to swing between fuming at being accused and panicking about losing Henry because of this. She wants information and clearly assumes the therapist will give it up.

"Regina calm down, what do they know?"

"They said that Ruby saw me go into the building but I wasn't there"

"I know you weren't Regina"

"You do?"

"You were with me Regina"

"If I hadn't been would you still believe me?"

"Of course I would" the speed of my answer takes us both by surprise but I know her enough to know that she wouldn't kill Archie especially not after the last few months. My answer seems to be what she needed to hear as she wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. I move past my surprise at the sudden movement before hugging her back.

"They don't believe me" she mumbles from her place in the hug.

"One assumes that your mother is behind this dearie and we both know she doesn't do these things in half measures"

"What am I going to do?" she cries, "Henry will believe what they tell him, he's going to think I did this"

"He'll have faith in you Regina, trust in that"

She continues to cry, "What are we going to do?" she asks again. I pause knowing that Emma will more than likely think I set her up given very few are aware of our relationship and I doubt that Henry will have passed on the information. I think for a few moments knowing that I can't let her be here when the Charmings come charging in, knowing Cora she'll have created an airtight case against Regina.

"I need you to trust me" I say finally.

She eyes me warily before gulping back a sob and taking a deep breath, "Okay"

"I have a cabin in the woods, go hide there, I'll come find you later"

"B-but"

"Trust me Regina, you'll be safe there, I'll come get you later when this is all sorted out"

"Promise?"

"I promise, I will be there later, now go" I say quickly knowing that they'll be here soon.

I watch as my daughter uses her magic to disappear as Belle walks in. "Is everything okay?" she asks in concern upon seeing my wary expression. I frown before answering, "No"

_Thanks for reading :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Hello again. First off thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favourited this story so far. Secondly I am on holiday next week and so I'm not sure I'll be able to get an update done before I go away for the week. Shall try my best though! I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for mistakes. Hope you enjoy this chapter :)_

After quickly explaining the predicament to Belle the air took a sour turn. She proceeded to pull out lunch items with a solemn look that echoed the feeling of my shop and its inhabitants. The misery clings to the walls and all I can do is wait for someone to make a move in this deadly game of cat and mouse. Hopefully Regina will be safe in that cabin, it is very secluded and I doubt Cora will think to look there, the question is what do I do when Cora inevitably comes to ask for me help in locating her? I cannot give her location away, it would be tantamount to serving her up on a silver platter to that despicable woman. Nor can I promise to help her find Regina for then I would be betraying my daughter. The only option I can see is to misdirect her but that is likely to backfire and when Cora is setting the game-board one misstep could cause unprecedented disaster.

Belle hands me a sandwich with a morose look on her face, neither us know in much mood for eating. "You'll protect her Rumple" she says quietly breaking our silence.

"What if I can't?" I ask voicing my fear to the one person I can.

She turns to me before clasping my face in her hands, "I know you Rumple. You fight for the ones you care about and you love Regina so you'll keep her safe. You'll find a way"

I smile at her, "I wish I had your strength dearie"

"You do Rumple" she replies sadly, "You just need to let yourself feel it"

Before I can reply the doorbell rings again and in walks Emma accompanied by her irksome parents who now feel the need to oversee their daughter's Sheriffing business.

"Nothing warms the heart more than seeing a family reunited. You have your mother's chin" I keep my tone light and airy so as not to raise any suspicions. Belle gives me a curious look before realising that I need this mask right now.

"Save it, we know you killed him"

"And your father's tact"

"Someone's dead?" Belle asks. I look at her with a grateful smile at her playing along which mercifully neither the reluctant saviour nor her parents notice.

"Yes Dr Hopper"

"And what makes you think I killed him?"

"All the evidence points to Regina"

"And she's not possibly capable of doing something so vile" she moves closer to me upon saying this as a silent show that she does not believe what she's just said.

"It's a frame job" Emma replies conclusively. I muffle a sigh relieved that at least one of them believes in my daughter's innocence.

"And you've used other people before to hurt her" Snow adds as we share a look remembering a conversation we had just after she saved my daughter from execution.

"Well I hate to disappoint you dearie but I had nothing to do with this one"

"And why should we believe you?"

In life there are points where we hit a crossroads and in this case both choices could backfire badly. One option is merely to dismiss the Charming clan but all that will do is provoke more questions and waste time I'm not sure we have. The other is to use the witness to the crime, it will certainly give us both the information we require but depending on the level of frame job Cora went to it could only send them after my daughter. Time is a luxury I do not have right now and I flip the coin in my head, "Let's ask the witness"

* * *

Cora's deception was much more elaborate than I thought and now I must make sure Regina is secure. I doubt Emma will find her but even so I must warn her. I drop Belle off at her room at Granny's with the warning to be careful and get in my car replaying the recent events in my shop as I drive.

_Charming brings in Pongo and I get him to sit. Belle flashes me a smile at my abilities with the canine species. I run the dream-catcher over Pongo's head and neck hoping it reveals to me a way of learning what Cora has planned. I hand it to Miss Swan and instruct her on how to use it. _

_She gasps in surprise as the image begins to play. Archie rises from his chair and answers the door and it certainly looks like my daughter. Of course. How could I forget one of Cora's favourite tricks? She has not perfected it though. The Regina in this scene is cold and moves stiffly, her eyes devoid of emotion completely unlike the real Regina. This one moves mechanically, her face a blank mask as she lifts the therapist up. If these people really knew my daughter they'd know she does not move like that, even in her evillest acts her face betrayed some level of emotion even if it was just a flicker in her eyes. Emma drops the dream-catcher unable to watch anymore. _

_Snow holds back a cry before speaking in an indignant tone, "It was her Emma. How could she kill one of the kindest people in Storybrooke and so callously?" _

_"We must arrest her Emma" her father cuts in now. _

_Emma frowns before staring at the fallen dream-catcher before looking back at me, "Where is she Gold?" _

_"How should I know?" _

_She moves closer before meeting my gaze, "I know you're her father so where is she?"_

_I sneer back at her, "If you know I'm her father than surely dearie you must know I'm not about to hand her over to you" _

_"We'll find her ourselves Emma. Come on let's go" Charming says glaring at me before leading his wife and daughter out of my shop. _

_Once they are going Belle quickly moves to hug me, "That really looked like Regina" she says quietly after a few minutes of contemplative silence. _

_"Cora has always been good at pulling off facades. All I've done is set them after my daughter now." I sigh as I speak feeling as if I've let Regina down. _

_Belle once again cups my face in her hands, "Rumple, you didn't know what that dream-catcher would show you and if you didn't show it to them when you did they'd have found another way to see it. You did what you had to" _

_"What do I tell Regina?" _

_She pauses before speaking, "You tell her what Pongo's memory says and you warn her" _

_"That's it" _

_She sighs sadly, "It's all you can do right now" _

How I wish that weren't true. It feels pretty much like the bare minimum. I know nothing more about to protect Regina, if anything I've made things worse, nor do I have any inkling as to what Cora is up to.

I stop the car at the edge of the woods before using magic to transport to the cabin just in case anyone is watching. I rematerialize on the outskirts of the cabin and spot a movement on the other side of the woods. I blink just in case it was a trick of the eye but then it happens again. A slight rustle of the bushes just to the left of the cabin. I frown wondering what can be there before casting an invisibility spell to ensure I can sneak up on the unexpected spy. I creep closer before the sun causes a glint of metal to identify the person. Hook. I should've known he would align himself with Cora, the self-serving pirate.

I see that the scourge is holding a telescope in his one good hand aimed directly at the cabin. My blood freezes in my veins. There's only one person who could have sent him here which means I need to get Regina out of here. How could she have known though?

I creep up behind Hook before raising my cane and knocking him unconscious. Invisibility always is a useful tool in disposing of one's enemies. He doesn't see the blow coming and falls to the floor instantly. With that taken care of I edge closer to the cabin feeling my sense of dread increase at the silence enveloping the area. _Please just don't let me be too late_ I think as I remove my invisibility spell and reach for the doorknob.

The wind howls through my ears and all I can hope is that Cora has not been here yet. I have my doubts that we'll be so lucky.

I push the door open and it creaks shattering the eerie quiet of the forest. I peer in alarmed when I initially see no-one. _Oh god no_. I walk in to the cabin, "Regina?" I call out shutting the door behind me. Nothing in the living room.

Nothing in the bedroom.

I cross the threshold of the kitchen. Time falls to a standstill. The rest of the world drops away. I can vaguely hear my heart dropping into my stomach. "Regina" I cry out in a whisper as I cross the kitchen.

_Thanks for reading :)_


	4. Chapter 4

___Hello again. Am now back off holiday, luckily I had time while I was away to get this written. I had to write the first part of this in Regina's POV because I wanted to include what happened to her whilst Rumple was dealing with the Charmings. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

* * *

_The cabin is small but quiet, hopefully its secluded location will stop my mother getting to this place. I sigh running my hand through my hair as I think over my current predicament. So far she has killed Archie and everyone aside from my father believes I did it. Another banner day I think bitterly. Archie. He didn't deserve to die I think, yes I was annoyed at him for the betrayal of trust but what could my mother have to gain by killing him? Surely he'd be more useful to her alive if its information she wants._

_I can only hope my father is able to prove my innocence to Miss Swan but knowing my mother the case will be an airtight one. A tear slides down my face as I continue pacing knowing that any progress I made with Henry and the town will now be undone when news spreads of my alleged crime. _

_I pause having heard a rustle from outside. I freeze realising I didn't put up a protection spell when I got here. Damn it! How could I have been so reckless? The noise happens again but I know I can't look outside in case it alerts someone to my presence here. I resort to kneeling down by the kitchen counter hoping it can shield me from view. _

_I hold my breath until I feel the presence of magic. Please be Rumple. I've never wished that before but lately he's been the only one by my side and strangely enough the only one I can trust to help me. Ironic I think given he has been responsible for the majority of the manipulations and deceit in my life. _

_Footsteps tap along the living room and I freeze recognising the sound. No rap of a cane. Instead it is the slow methodical footsteps of my mother. I'm trapped, there's no way I can get out without her realising and Rumple will still be dealing with Miss Swan and her irksome parents. _

_"Ah there you are" that cold voice from my childhood washes over me. I take a deep breath so I can stand up and face her properly. _

_"Mother" I reply tersely. _

_"Not pleased to see me dear?" she asks in mock-hurt._

_"Not particularly" _

_"I know I've done you wrong in the past. I shouldn't have lied to you and I shouldn't have made you marry the King" _

_I dip my head at the statement as I suppress a shudder at memories of my marriage. "I want a fresh start with you Regina" she finishes. Oh how I wish we could have that. "You lied. You framed me for the cricket. You made it so no-one would believe me" _

_"I needed you to see what these people really think of you" _

_"You made an airtight case!" my voice rises in anger at her attempts to defend herself. No, I think, stay calm don't let her get a rise out of you. "You wanted me broken" _

_"Receptive"_

_"You are the most manipulative -. No. I won't. I have been trying so hard to change, to be better for Henry and I won't let you ruin that. If you truly want to change"_

_"And I do" she says quickly, too quickly. _

_"Then you'll come back to town with me and tell them what YOU did" _

_"And then we can start over?" _

_"I don't see that happening" _

_At that her face changes and the cold sneer that I know far too well emerges on her face, "Well then my dear no deal"_

_"What do you want?" I ask. I need to protect my family. I need to make sure she doesn't get to Henry. _

_"I can help you darling. Align yourself with me and we can have everything"_

_"Maybe I don't want what you want" _

_"What do you want? To have a happy family with your dear father?" at her mocking words I can feel the anger rising in me again. I clench my fists trying to keep my voice level. "So you knew the whole time. Why not tell me?" _

_"Please the illegitimate daughter of Rumpelstiltskin does not get marriage proposals from a King"_

_"But the daughter of a prince does" I finish bitterly. Of course the answer would lie in her quest for power. My whole childhood was geared towards her trying to climb the ranks until eventually she got her wish and sealed my fate by tying me to that awful man. _

_"Precisely dear or would you have preferred living on the run? I was trying to protect you"_

_"You were using me" _

_"For your own good"_

_"Is that why you're here now?" _

_"No I'm here to offer you a chance. Join me and we can rule this pathetic little town. You can have that little family you desire and so much more"_

_Those last four words stop me from trying to play her and say yes. Even if I were to go along with her little game and try and sway her away from her quest for power she'll never see that all I want is family. Our interests are far from being aligned. Her proposition simply re-confirms for me that her lust for power still takes precedence over all else and I can tell from the icy darkness of her eyes that she would happily destroy any who stand in her way which will more than likely be my family or Henry's, "No"_

_"You think you can refuse me?" she replies with an icy laugh. She raises her hand and on instinct I take a step back. Magic crackles in her wrists and all of a sudden I am being raised into the air. I stare down at her, "You think this will make me join you?" _

_"One way or another Regina you and I will be side by side again" _

_I shake my head and feel my chest tighten. I gasp for breath until she loosens whatever hold she has over me, "Have you reconsidered yet?" _

_"Never" I would easily sacrifice myself if it meant my family would be safe. _

_"As you wish" she replies as casually as if we were having afternoon tea. _

_I struggle once more for air as the magic constricts my ability to breathe freely. She pauses having her heard a movement from outside still holding me up in the hand. Whatever she's listening to isn't distracting her from magic. It's getting harder to keep my eyes open. I gasp choking for breath and she turns her attention back to me with a wicked smile. _

_"It appears we have a visitor my dear" she relaxes her grip before releasing me entirely. My body goes slack and I fall from the ceiling to the floor hitting the kitchen counter as I go. She leans over me as I continue gasping for breath, my brain feels foggy and there is definitely blood dripping down the side of my face. It's getting harder to stay awake, "We'll finish this up later. I think I'll leave you as warning for Rumpelstiltskin, maybe I'll pay Henry a visit" she adds with a cruel smirk. The evil look in her eyes is the last thing I see before everything goes black._

* * *

"Regina?" I call out again as I kneel down next to her prone form. The hum of Cora's dark magic still lingers in the air meaning I must have just missed her. _What would have happened had been a few minutes later?_ I ask myself before quickly pushing it aside. I don't even what to contemplate how far Cora might have gone had I not arrived.

There's a thin line of blood trickling down the side of my daughter's face. I push aside a strand of hair trying to find the source before locating a small cut on her forehead. The silence of the kitchen is now punctuated mainly by her rapid breathing. The quick rise and fall of her chest causes a similar pang in my own heart as I recognise the effects of one of Cora's more practised methods of manipulation.

"Regina" I call again gently shaking her. I need to get her home. It's the only place that I know for certain Cora will not be able to get in to. It's the only place she'll be safe. Yes it will probably be one of the first places Miss Swan will think to check but my daughter's safety takes priority over her determination to arrest Regina for the cricket's murder.

"Come on Regina" I shake her a little harder again hoping to stir her. Hook is more than likely still out in those woods unless Cora took him with her. Either way who knows how much time we have before either comes back?

I cautiously move her before cradling her still upper half in my arms feeling the panic continue to rise in me for every second she remains unconscious. "Wake up Regina, you need to wake up. Come on dearie" I say hugging her close.

A low groan followed by a staccato rhythm of coughing sends joy flooding through my chest. She's alive and she's awake. Her breath is still coming out in sharp gasps but it's slowly calming. I ignore the burn in my arms from still cradling her weight and move to cup her face in one of my hands as her eyelids begin to flutter eventually opening.

"Y-you c-came" she stutters out in between slow gasps.

I nod in response, "Of course I did Regina. Are you okay?"

She shakes her head in reply before leaning heavily into my shoulder. "She wanted me to join her but she just wants power. I said no and then she" she trails off letting the tears roll down her cheeks.

I rub my hand in circles on her back hoping to soothe her "I know. You're alright now"

"Henry" she says in a panicked tone before suddenly standing to her feet. She stumbles dizzily and I just about make it to my own feet to steady her, "Easy dearie" I say wrapping my arm around her waist to keep her upright.

"I need to protect Henry"

"I'm sure he's fine Regina. The Charming's have already put enchantments up on their home to keep your mother out. He's safe"

"She'll find a way"

"She won't Regina. He's safe. He's protected. Plus he's a smart young lad, he'll know to stay where it's secure. Right now my main priority is getting you somewhere safe as well"

She gulps back down a sob, "Henry goes looking for adventure. Besides him she'll come back for me and then she'll go after you" she warns.

"Don't worry dearie, I've beaten your mother before"

"You have more to lose now" she says sullenly.

"And I'm not prepared to lose it. Your mother believes the drive for power is everything but it is not the most powerful motivator, love is Regina"

"True love is the most powerful magic of all" she murmurs quietly clearly thinking back to some other time when she'd uttered the same words.

I smile in what I hope is a reassuring way, "That it is dearie. Your mother is not going to hurt any of us I assure you"

She still looks doubtful. "Regina, do you trust me?"

I can see the wheels turning in her head and I know that in spite of the progress we've made with each other that this is a big ask. God I wish I hadn't manipulated her so much. There is conflict in her eyes for a long time until she turns back to me and nods slowly.

I exhale in relief, "Okay, then trust I will keep you safe" I tilt her head up so I can look her in the eye when I make this promise, "Cora will not get anyone near you or Henry. Now I am taking you back to my house"

"But what about Emma? She'll know to look there"

"You being safe from Cora is more important. Besides what Miss Swan doesn't know won't hurt her" I add with a small smile.

She smiles weakly back before I take her hand and use my magic to transport her to my home. Once we get there I close my eyes and scan the house, no Cora and the spell is intact. Regina lolls her head against me. Whatever her mother put her through has clearly exhausted her, I imagine the cut on her forehead isn't helping. I reach out to heal it but on spotting the purple on my hand she shakes her head. "It will heal fine on its own"

"But I can fix it now"

She chews her lip before staring seriously at me, "Let's save the magic for bigger problems"

I nod solemnly understanding her meaning, "Can I at least get you a plaster?"

She smiles back before nodding with a small yawn. I lead her through to my kitchen before letting her rest her weight against the counter-top. I rifle through my cupboards before finally locating the rather pitiful looking first-aid box. Luckily there actually are plasters in here alongside a rather old looking bottle of anti-septic. Well it will have to do I think. "Hold still" I say while attempting to clean the wound. She flinches as I do and I mutter an apology before applying the anti-septic to the cut. I quickly smooth a plaster over it and then run my thumb over it to make sure it's stuck. I have a vague memory of doing the same for Bae before magic came along. I sigh thinking of how much of my children's lives I've missed. I wish there were more I could do to make up for it but sometimes all you can offer is being there now even if it's too late, even, like I fear it will be when I find Bae, if it isn't enough. Nowadays it feels as if I am simply running on hope that I can fix all the problems being thrown at me. Unfortunately centuries of life have taught me that you can only run on that kind of hope for so long until reality catches up with you and throws everything at you and ultimately you know you can't fix everything.

"What are you thinking about?" her voice snaps me out of my reverie. I shake my head, "Nothing to worry about dearie"

She frowns clearly unsatisfied with my answer, "If you want me to trust you then you should trust me too"

"I do"

"Then what were you really thinking about?"

I sigh knowing that after that I have to answer and truthfully, "I missed a lot of you and Bae's lives and I wish that I could make up for that but I know I can't. I just wish there was more I can do"

She smiles before slowly moving to hug me, "You saved me today. You believed in me. That means something to me"

I reciprocate the hug feeling somewhat soothed by her words. I have a feeling my son won't be so forgiving but I know that with Regina I am at least on the right path. I just hope I can stay on it.

Another yawn against my shoulder reminds me once more of the ordeal she's been through today. "You need your rest" I say trying to keep the regret out of my tone.

"I'm fine" she grumbles sleepily. "I need to help you and make sure Henry stays safe"

"And you can do neither if you aren't 100% fit dearie. Now go on upstairs and rest" I can see the hesitance across her face, "Your mother can't get in here Regina"

She nods before schooling her features, "Of course, lead the way Rumple"

I help her up the stairs and through to a guestroom. She lingers awkwardly in the room looking at the bed before rootling in her bag for pyjamas. She nods at me before ducking into the adjoining bathroom.

I sit down on the bed rubbing my hands over my face hoping she will at least be safe for now. My phone rings, the sound jolting through the silence, an unwanted interruption. I pick up the phone hoping this is not more bad news.

"Hello"

"Rumple?" It sounds like Belle. I can hear the panic in her voice.

"Belle what is it?" I ask with the apprehensive feeling that I am about to be facing a war on two fronts.

The line is crackling, where the hell is she? I can only catch a few words, "Library… help … Hook"

Hook. Of course. I should have known his quest for revenge would catch up to me eventually. He better not hurt Belle I think knowing that if he does there I may not be able to control myself. I acted rashly all those years ago on his ship and once again my poor decisions are coming back to bite me. "Belle hold on I'm coming" I say quickly only to receive no response. I look down at my phone screen to see that the call disconnected.

"Go" I hear from the doorway. I turn and see my daughter standing by the bathroom looking much smaller in her silk pyjamas having been drawn out by the sound of the phone.

I know I am not succeeding in keeping my fear over Belle's safety from my face but I cannot help it. With both of them in danger it is much harder to keep up a front of serenity. I need to get Belle but I also don't want to leave Regina just yet. It feels like I'm being torn in two directions. Regina walks slowly forward before sitting next to me, "Go"

"Are you sure?" I ask.

She nods, "I'm just going to be sleeping. Belle needs your help. You have to save her Rumple" she says insistently.

I nod, "Promise me something"

"What?"

"That you will stay here and stay safe. Please" I add the last word not caring about how desperate it sounds. I just want them both to be alright.

She reaches for my hand before squeezing it slightly, "I'll stay here" she replies solemnly before adding, "Now go, save Belle. She needs you"

"So do you" I say.

"I do but right now I am safe. Belle isn't. Go save her" she says insistently. I smile silently thanking her for the encouragement before ruffling her hair, "Get some sleep" I say before I summon up my own magic and transport to the library.

_Thanks for reading :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Finally got this finished. Somehow it ran a lot longer than I intended and actually middled and ended a lot different than I originally planned. Some sort of spoilers for 2x11. A bit of angst but I also kind of carried away writing in little family moments between Belle, Rumple and Regina. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :)_

I blink letting the smoke that comes as an effect to my magic disappear and quickly scan the library. That pirate made a mistake, coming after Regina and Belle on the same day? He knows where to strike – no doubt Cora helped him out on that one – and he didn't waste any time. Well he'll certainly pay for this. I hear a commotion coming from the back of the building and quickly hobble over. A book tray has tumbled to the floor and I can see the back of that treacherous pirate. I see no sign of Belle but can only guess that she hid in the elevator, smart woman I think. For the second time today I raise my cane and knock him to the ground. This time he falls on his back and smirks up at me, "Ah crocodile, nice to see you again. Thought I'd pay your lass a visit, tell me does she know what you did to my Milah?" he snarls the anger seeping into his words like poison.

At his own words I see red and lower my cane across his neck before getting in his face. My voice comes out in a low angry hiss, "She knows enough. Tell me pirate did you really think you'd get away with this?"

"Please you won't kill me not while your precious Belle is around"

"Maybe not while she's around but trust me on this, if you come near my daughter of Belle again you will regret it" to emphasise my point I push the cane down until he gasps for air, "Do I make myself clear?"

He nods.

I relieve the pressure on his throat, oh how tempting it would be to just push down and end his miserable life right now but I know he's right, I can't do it not while Belle is around and not while Cora remains a bigger danger. "Good, now if I were you I'd run back to my little ship and _leave my family alone_"

I watch with a pleased grin as the pirate scuttles off an expression on his face of anger and fear before turning to the elevator door. _Let her be alright or next time I won't stop_. The doors open and the first thing I see Belle's relieved face before she launches herself into my arms. "Belle are you alright?" I ask as I hold her tight in my grip wondering how I could have come so close to losing the two most important women in my life today.

"I'm fine Rumple" she answers, "You have no idea how glad I am that it was you on the other side of that door"

"Well don't worry dearie I've dealt with the pirate but I want you to come with me"

She frowns, "I'm sure there's no need, honestly I'm perfectly safe"

"Can I at least give you something so I can be sure you're alright?"

She thinks it over before noticing my pleading expression and sighs "Alright Rumple"

I focus my energy until the gun that was formerly in my safe appears in my palm, "Here take it" I say proffering it to her.

She eyes it warily. "What is it?"

"A gun" I quickly demonstrate what she needs to do with it and she backs off a few steps with a serious frown, "I don't think I want one of those Rumple. It sounds unnecessarily dangerous"

"Hopefully you won't have to use it but just in case can you please take it?"

She takes it gingerly, "For you I will. Why was that guy so set on seeking revenge anyway?"

I sigh knowing this question was coming, "Hook and I have a long complicated past. To cut it short my first wife and Bae's mother ran off with him. Since then we've feuded"

"What happened to her?"

"She died" one day I will tell her the long version of the story but for now I feel the abridged one will do.

Belle nods and I carry on, "I don't want to lose you too and he'll know that"

She moves into hug me again before kissing me, I smile into the kiss finding some solace in the sweetness of the moment. She leans back again, "You won't"

We stand together for a few more minutes, both of us seeking comfort in the embrace of the other before she speaks again, "How did things go with Regina?"

I realise then that in my rush to get her home and safe I never actually told Regina what Miss Swan saw in the dream-catcher. I'll tell her later I think. The problem at the moment is that between Cora and Hook it's hard to keep everything on track. _Maybe now is the perfect time to get out of town_ _and find Bae_.

"Rumple?" Belle asks clearly still awaiting an answer.

"Sorry dearie, I went over to the cabin and found her unconscious" I pause trying to shake off the image of her lying so still on that floor, "Cora paid her a visit"

Belle gasps, "Oh Rumple that's terrible, is she alright?"

"She will be. Cora, she restrained her, she choked her. How could she do that?" I can feel a few traitorous tears falling out of my lids, but god it's so hard to stay strong all the time when you're facing attack on all fronts.

"Hey you saved her right?" I nod and she continues, "So remember that you got to her in time and that is all that matters. Regina's tough Rumple, she'll be okay"

"I know, I just wish she didn't have to be"

"I know you do."

"I feel so helpless" I admit knowing that Belle is the one person I can tell this to, Regina needs me to be strong for her after all, "I can see how hard she's taking Dr Hopper's death and her mother's reappearance and it feels like there's nothing I can do"

"About that, I might have an idea" Belle says quietly.

"What?" I ask desperately but right now I feel we could all use a break.

"Well you said Cora came here on Hook's ship right?" I nod, "So what if there's evidence on there that could exonerate Regina?"

"Belle you can't, it's far too risky, what if Hook catches you? Or god forbid Cora?" there is bound to be something on that boat that could help but I won't let Belle put herself in danger for it. After all Cora could have killed her own daughter today and I doubt she'd hesitate to kill Belle if she found her aboard the ship.

"I'll be fine Rumple, if you're that worried then come with me"

I sigh knowing she won't be talked out of this and that she will be a lot safer if I'm there too, at the very least if there is a sign of danger I can protect her.

"I guess we're going to a ship then" I glance down at my watch, I've already been gone over an hour. Hopefully this won't take long, as if she's just read my mind Belle smiles at me, "We can go check in on Regina first if you'd like"

I nod before reaching for her hand, after all magic transportation is far quicker and more convenient than travelling on foot.

* * *

Regina blinks in surprise at seeing the pair of us materialise in the kitchen in front of her. I frown upon seeing her somewhat sleep ruffled self behind the counter, "You're supposed to be resting" I say sternly.

"I woke up" she shrugs in reply before turning to Belle, "Are you alright dear?"

Belle looks surprised at the concerned question before answering, "A little shaken up but I'm okay"

Regina nods in understanding. I watch the mirrored looks on their faces as they have both through a similar sort of experience today. _I could have lost both of them_.

"What's going on?" Regina asks turning back to me.

"Belle has an idea" I reply motioning for Belle to explain. She looks confused but after all it was her idea and with the fear that I might die in mind I know Regina needs to realise she can rely on Belle and vice versa. Somehow I hope Belle being the one who can offer a solution rather than another problem will go some way in making that happen.

At Belle's hesitation Regina coughs impatiently, "Belle, we don't have all day"

I shoot a pointed look at her and she in turn looks away, "Sorry for snapping" she mutters in Belle's direction.

"That's okay, I think we're all on edge today. Anyway I was thinking that maybe your mother might have left something on Hook's ship that could help us prove you didn't kill Archie"

"You don't think I did it?" Regina asks shocked.

Belle smiles kindly at her before taking a bold step and placing her hand over Regina's. "I know you didn't"

Regina looks down at their hands before looking back up to Belle and giving her a genuine smile. I can't help but smile at the interaction between the pair of them. Maybe this whole experience as horrid as it may be can at least bring us all a little closer together.

After a few moments Regina clears her throat, "I'm coming with you"

"You are not" is my instinctive response.

"You're going to look for evidence to help me. I'm perfectly fine Da-Rumple and I am going to help you" she blushes at her near slip before continuing in a steady determined tone.

"Regina I promised I would keep you safe from your mother. I'm not about to let you walk right into where she might be"

She practically stalks over to me, well as much as a person in pyjamas can, before getting in my face. The action reminds me so much of past confrontations where we used to be enemies that I can't help but flinch. I take a breath reminding myself that this time we want the same things this time and that we can work this out amicably for a change.

"You're not going to let me?!" she snarls, "I'm a grown woman Rumple and I will do what I want. I am either going with you or I will go by myself" she tilts her head with a cocky smirk as if daring me to challenge on her on this.

_Don't be snarky _I remind myself knowing that will only cause more tension and aggravation when really we need to go in to this with clear heads. "Regina, are you sure because if your mother or Hook is there"

She cuts me off after hearing the concern in my voice, "Then I'll be careful. Please let me help"

I sigh knowing I can't prevent either Belle or Regina coming on this hunt for evidence, "Fine but at the first sign of any danger I'm sending both of you away from the ship" I say looking from my daughter to my true love.

They both nod, I think by this point we've all realised that arguing is pretty pointless. Regina flicks her wrist letting purple smoke engulf her until it disappears and her pyjamas have been replaced by slacks, a white shirt and her grey coat. "So what exactly is the plan?" she asks crossing her arms over her chest.

Belle is the one to answer, "We go the docks, locate the ship and look around"

"But quickly" I add, "If Hook and Cora aren't there we don't want to risk them turning up and finding us rifling through their possessions. Plus we can't risk anyone seeing you out and about"

Regina nods before scrunching her face up in thought, "Why don't we just use a cloaking spell? That way no-one will see us on the docks plus we can see if Hook or my mother are there without alerting them to our presence"

"We could but it would limit the time that we have to search"

"Then we'll search quickly"

"Alright then dearie, we'll need to use both of our magic if we are going to successfully cloak all three of us so if you two would be so kind as to step over here" I wait until they both do and then grab one of each of their hands with my own, "Now you two hold hands as well so that the chain of magic can work"

Regina nods closing her eyes as she channels her magic. I follow suit before snapping my eyes open a few seconds later, "Did it work?" Belle asks confused since she can still see us.

I nod, "It should have done"

"But I can still see you two"

"We aren't invisible to each other because we are all under the same spell" Regina explains, "How long do you think we have?"

I think it over in my head, if we transport via magic then that will wear down on the cloaking time but would still give us more than walking over there. "An hour maybe a little more, maybe a little less"

"Well then let's get on with it"

* * *

We arrive on the docks in another whirl of purple smoke, I wonder now I hadn't noticed the colour of Regina's magic before. It's a perfect mix of Cora's blue magic and my own slightly pinkish one. Looking back now I should have sensed something when I first noticed the high levels of magical energy she had since such a natural inner power either comes from True Love magic such as the saviour's or the connection of two magical beings such as myself and Cora.

"Where's the ship?" Regina asks. I'm about to answer when I notice Belle walk over to the sand storage box and throw some in the air. A few handfuls land in mid-air. Well I guess there was no need to track the magic after all with her book-smarts.

Belle is about to lead the way her sense of adventure, which I both admire and fear, kicking in when I step in front of her. "Let me lead the way"

"It was my idea Rumple"

"I know it was but let me go first. I can't risk losing either one of you" I say quietly. Belle nods at my pleading tone before stepping back and pulling Regina behind her.

The three of us slowly ascend the steps and walk cautiously down to the dock careful to not make any noise.

"Are you okay?" I hear Belle's quiet whisper and turn to see her with her hand over Regina's arm. My daughter nods but I can see why Belle asked. For all her bravado and confidence there is that light tremor of her arms and that flicker in her eyes that reminds me that underneath the evil queen and the mayor is a scared little girl who cannot escape her mother. I walk over to the pair of them and place my hand on her other arm, "You don't have to stay" I whisper. She looks up at me, a battle raging in her eyes before she grabs my hand, "I want to"

I nod and lead her and Belle who has taken hold of Regina's other hand now across the boat. If they're keeping anything here it won't be up on the deck. We search through several cabins finding each one the same, empty and devoid of clues. We reach the final door and push through. I spot an object on the shelf and can feel the blood boiling in my veins. It would seem Belle's attack was a decoy so that one of his scurrilous little associates, no doubt the infernal Mr Smee, could take what I hold dear. I stalk over to it unintentionally tugging both Regina and Belle forward as they collide with one another. "What is it Rumple?" Belle asks steadying herself and Regina.

I pick the object up off the shelf running the old material through my hands. After all this time it still brings back so many memories. Visions of a young boy trekking through the forest, of him running around with his friends and of him leading me to the portal that would claim him. I shake off the image knowing that I will find him soon. "Rumple?" Belle repeats as I lose myself in memories of my son. "Bae's scarf" I say quietly.

"How did it get here?"

"My best guess is that Hook set up your attack so he could have one of his people steal this"

"Why?" Belle asks.

"To lure him here" Regina says quietly. She blanches, her face ashen as she speaks gravely, "What if this is a trap?"

"Then we need to hurry" I reply squeezing her hand, "Of all the things in this world and others dearie I won't let a pirate defeat me"

She smiles about to reply before pausing with a frown. "Regina?"

"Ssh" she whispers clearly straining to hear something, but what? I listen intently to the noise of the ship, I can hear the wind and waves outside, a gull somewhere in the distance and a low thumping sound below us.

"Down there" Belle says pointing to what looks like another storage container. She steps forward but once again I block her. Who knows what Cora has hidden beneath the floor boards? I feel Regina's death grip on my hand increase as we three step closer. I squeeze back hoping beyond all hope that whatever is down there is helpful to us.

With a flick of my wrist the trapdoor rises and we all lean our heads to peer inside. "Regina?" the cricket. He's alive. Regina lets go of my hand to help him up out of his makeshift prison. "How are you here?" she asks stunned to see him breathing and talking.

"Your mother came to my office disguised as you and brought me here. She wanted information. When I refused to give it she sent Hook in" he pauses rubbing his bruised neck, "I should have known something was wrong when Pongo started barking, I'm so sorry Regina"

She waves her hand, "It's okay, you couldn't have known. I'm sorry too"

"No need to apologise Regina" he replies with a kind smile.

In her relief at seeing him alive she has missed the bigger issue, I can tell though by the frown on Belle's face that she has not, "Archie can you see us?" she asks.

At the question Regina whirls round to me wide-eyed in a panic as the realisation hits. "Of course I can" he replies confused.

We all freeze hearing footsteps coming down the steps. "Oh no" Regina whispers immediately grabbing for me hand again. On instinct I grab it back before pulling her and Belle close. Archie regards us curiously until he too sees the figure in the doorway. The thought shudders through me as the figures regard us with icy glares, _we're out of time_.

_AN 2: Always happy to hear what you think so far. Next chapter will be up next week, I'm hoping Monday or Tuesday but it depends on how quickly I type up the next Parent Trap update. Thank you for reading :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_ Hi again! I got this written faster than I expected so am able to get this to you tonight rather than tomorrow evening as I thought. Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter. Apologies for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy it :)_

"Well isn't this sweet" Cora's sickly sweet voice rings through the thick tension of the cabin. At the sound Regina stiffens beside me before slowly squeezing my hand. I squeeze back knowing full well we've been caught and without a defence plan. Cora stalks over before running her fingers along Belle's jaw, "Always did like them young didn't you Rumple" she mutters bitterly.

"What do you want Cora?" I ask. Now is the time to face her and speak, Regina and Belle tremble slightly beside me though they both try to put up facades of strength. The slight movement though is enough to tell me that I must fight for them, they need me.

"Straight to the point as always Rumple. What I want is quite simple dear. I want my daughter" her voice sends an icy chill down my spine. I can't, no I won't let that happen. Regina stares shocked at her mother, "I don't want to go with you mother" she says calmly.

"You don't know what you want" Cora snaps before turning back to me, anger dancing in her eyes, "I will have my daughter back Rumple"

"No you won't" she laughs again, "Hook dear I believe you wanted a crocodile?" she asks sweetly. Her accomplice steps forward from where he has so far been watching in the shadows, "I suppose I should have had more faith in your plan my dear"

"I told you he'd come didn't I?" she keeps her eyes on me, a victorious sneer on her face.

Before I can react she pushes at me with her magic sending me across the cabin. I blink as I collide with the cold cabin wall and pull to a seated position in time to see Cora grab Regina and Belle, "Enjoy dear" she grins at Hook as Regina and Belle attempt to struggle against her. Regina looks at me desperately and I pull myself up to my feet. I hobble over as fast as I can but my hand falls short, "Dad!" I hear shouted as Cora sends me a mocking wave and the three vanish in a plume of blue smoke.

The anger and fear boils in my blood and I turn to the cocky smirking pirate with a menacing look. "You" I growl before pinning him to the wall with my magic. Hook blinks clearly surprised by the strength of my magic against him. He begins to gasp for breath but I can't think of any reason to stop.

"Gold stop!" I hear shouted from behind me. I keep my grasp on the pirate's neck and turn to the pesky cricket. "And why should I?" after all he was working with Cora, Cora who now has the two people most important to me in her clutches.

"I know you're angry Gold" I scoff, what an understatement. The bug approaches slowly clearly wary of the dark magic crackling around me and Hook. "Killing Hook will not help"

"It will stop him coming after my family" I reason angrily finding myself more irritated by the placating look on the therapist's face.

"I know that's how you see it but think of Regina and Belle. They wouldn't want you to do this" he reasons. I let his words sink in and take a deep breath as Hook squirms under my hold. I know deep down he's right and that neither one would want me to give in to my urge to squash him. I sigh before letting the magic ease. The pirate falls to the floor until I pick him up pinning him to the wall with my cane, "Where are they?"

"How should I know crocodile?" he replies with a small grin. I can see in his eyes that he knows.

"Where are they?" I repeat in a low growl pushing the cane further into his throat.

He fixes me with a serious glare, "It won't matter" he leans he pushing his face into my personal space, "Either way you will lose them" he leans his head back against the wall with a smug grin. Seeing that look on his face just causes the anger to rise again, this time I use my fist delighting in the sound of my knuckles hitting his cheek. I grab the ruff of his collar before baring my teeth in a snarl, "I will not lose them, not to you and not to Cora. Where are they?"

"You're not going to get to them in time" he replies with a sadistic smile.

"I can try" I need to believe that. They are my family and I need to save them no matter what.

"She's taking them to the town line" a chill runs down my spine. The town line? What is that woman up to? She must know what the line does I realise. Pictures flash through my mind, Belle over the line without any memory, Regina without her magic, Cora cackling victoriously as she hurts them. I blink to try and get rid of the images.

"You" I say turning to the cricket, "Get help, tell them to go to the town line" I demand before poofing him away to the sheriff's apartment. Let's just hope his appearance will be enough to convince them to help. I turn back to Hook before grabbing his arm, "You are coming with me" I can't risk the chance that he is lying and if he is then at least I'll be able to deal with it quickly.

(Meanwhile)

I cough as the smoke clears and we appear by the town line. Why would she bring us here? I look to Belle and see she is equally as confused and fumbling with something in her jacket pocket. I furrow my brow in confusion at her action, now seems like a remarkably bad time to go rifling through her pockets.

My mother drops us both on the ground next to the line before fixing us with a chilling glare, "We may need to wait a while, I wouldn't want your father to miss this" she remarks with a vengeful grin. "What are you going to do?" I ask taking note of the malice creeping across her rigid features. The night air is biting as she stares back at me, "I would hate to ruin the surprise dear. Perhaps you can answer some questions for me?" at my silence she uses her magic to bring me over to her. I stumble on the hard tarmac as she drags me forward until I fall at her feet. With the moonlight shining behind her and the dark sky surrounding us she seems a lot more imposing. I move to stand and realise she is holding me down, how like her to make sure she has the upper ground I think bitterly. I try and summon my own magic to push against her but she's too strong. She laughs again, the sound ringing through the air as my magic pushes feebly against hers before she knocks me back down.

"So I see you haven't reconsidered my offer? How very disappointing" she sighs before leaning down and pulling me up off the ground. My arm pulls tightly and I gasp as a sharp radiates through it as she tugs me up to her level before cupping my face with her hands. The action sends me back to another time she did this, just after she murdered Daniel. A treacherous tear skates down my cheek as I realise that this motion has always followed violence. She slaps the tear off my face and my hand instantly moves to the shocked flesh. "Don't you see my love, I can give you everything. Just join me and we will have power" she emphasises the last word as if it is the most powerful thing in the world.

"I don't want power" I grit out feeling the magic crackle at my fists as I speak.

"I'd have thought you'd learn by now that power is _everything_"

Except it isn't. My son, in spite of all the wrongs I've done him by lying and making him think he was wrong about that damn book, has shown me that there is more than that. My father has also tried to prove that to me. Neither want me because I'm powerful but because I am theirs, their family to love and to love them. Looking into my mother's cold hardened stare I know she can't understand that love beats power. "It isn't"

"Foolish girl" she says raising her hand. I quickly use my magic to put up a bubble around her fist so she cannot move it as another voice yells "Let her go!"

I turn to see Belle pointing a gun at my mother. Where the hell did she get that? My mother laughs at the weapon, "Are you going to kill me? You don't have it in you" she challenges holding her head high. Out of the corner of my eye I see magic bubbling in her free hand, as she raises it I direct a shield at Belle with my free hand "Watch out!" I shout just in case it doesn't work. The gun slips from her grasp as the shield cocoons her. My mother's magic bounces off it before hitting us both, my mother inches herself out of the way as the blast knocks me clear into a tree. Disoriented I feel my grasp on the two spells slipping.

I raise myself off the ground bracing my weight on my hands in time to see my mother whipping the gun off the ground and into the direction of two figures who have suddenly materialised in the road. Relief swamps through my chest as I see Rumple appear. On shaky legs I run towards him, my mother notices and raises her hand to slam me into a tree. The branches come to live and wrap tight across my body, I can feel thorns tearing through my coat and into the skin underneath.

"Let her go Cora" Rumple yells as he hobbles over. Distracted by my state he doesn't see what I do. Hook picking up the gun and directing it straight at Belle. I try to yell but with the branches crushing down on my chest all that comes out is a ragged gasp. Ignoring my mother's sneer I try and break through her branches with my magic. I can feel them breaking but nowhere near as fast enough. My father still hasn't noticed as he too is using his magic to try and get through Cora's trap. My mother follows my gaze and laughs before leaning in, "Your father may be here now darling but I'll be back" she whispers before disappearing. Rumple blinks in surprise as the branches fade and I fall to the ground. "Regina" he says helping me off the ground, "Are you alright?"

"Dad get Belle!" I yell pointing in her direction. He follows my finger and gasps at the sight of Belle holding her hands up and trying to reason with the pirate.

"No" he whispers before moving forward.

Time slows down around us Hook raises the weapon, the only sound being that of the safety being clicked off. I can see that Rumple is too stunned and/or scared to so something and so I try desperately to get my magic to work. A light flicker forms in my palm but my body is simply too exhausted to make it work properly. The small effort drains me completely and I drop down to the floor. My eyes close as I see Hook pull the trigger.

000

My daughter thuds to the ground behind me startling me from my frozen fear. "Regina?" I whisper noticing her collapsed form. Another sound pierces through the quiet at the town line and I turn in time to see the pirate pushing down on the trigger. "NO!" I yell before attempting to push Belle out of the way.

She falls just across the town line. No. No. No. Please no. I pull her back over quickly in hopes that her memory will still be intact. The bullet missed her heart where the pirate had clearly intended and has nicked her shoulder. I channel my magic and use it to heal her wound. She opens her eyes as the injury clears, she'll physically be fine, "Belle?" I ask hopefully.

Her eyes look at me in confusion before she panics, "Who are you?" she mutters before scrambling away from me. "YOU!" I bellow turning to face Hook only to see him approaching my daughter with the gun. This time I can't contain the rage inside of me, "Step away from my daughter" I say letting my anger fill my tone as I bring a fireball to my palm. Belle screams behind me clearly frightened by the sudden appearance of magic.

Hook smirks cockily at me. The low-life pirate. "Hurts doesn't it?" he asks gesturing to Belle. My love, who has no idea who I am. I force back the tears threatening to fall at that thought. He took her from me. She's right there but he took her. I look to Regina feeling new anger sweep through me. He would have taken her too. He helped Cora. The fire in my hand burns brighter and angrier. I'm about to shoot it at him when a loud noise distracts me. I quickly extinguish it and place a shield over my daughter as a car speeds past, bounces off the shield, sending Hook flying before smashing into a tree.

"What are you?" Belle asks terrified. I look at her eyes filled with such horror and panic. "Hey it's alright, you're safe now" I say to calm her but she scoots back from me, "Please don't touch me" she begs. I sigh defeatedly realising the truth of the matter, without her memories all she sees is a monster with magic.

My presence near her is only doing her harm right now so I move away in hopes it will calm her. I can try and bring her memory back later. There must be a way. I move instead to my daughter and place my hands on either side of her head. "Regina" I whisper to her. I can hear the sirens approaching us, "Hang on baby please I can't lose you too"

_Always happy to hear what you think (even if it is "You evil woman!") Thanks for reading :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Hi again. This ended up longer than I expected but hopefully it works well! Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter. I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy it :)_

After what feels like an eternity of kneeling on the cold wet ground the sirens reach us and Emma and her parents get out of the car, all three of them quickly taking in the chaos of the scene. Emma is quick to take charge of the situation, "Okay do any of you recognise this guy?" she asks as the EMTs pull a man out of the wreckage of the silver vehicle. At all of our negative responses Charming frowns, "That means he came from outside of town Emma"

She runs her hand through her hair, "I know, we'll deal with that later, right now let's just get everyone who needs medical attention sorted out" she looks between Hook on the floor, the panicking Belle and me cradling Regina's unconscious head in my hands. "Okay" she says before turning to the four EMTS, "You two deal with whoever that is in the car, one of you get over here to check on Regina and you can check on Hook. Mary-Margaret can you see if Belle is okay please?" at the nods from the rest of the team she and one of the paramedics walk over to us.

"Gold what the hell happened here?" she asks as the man I don't recognise begins to look over my daughter, "What happened to her?" he asks. I ignore Emma's question and choose to answer the one that can actually help my daughter, "Her mother used magic to trap her with vines on that tree, after that Regina tried to use magic to save Belle but it was too much and she just collapsed" I stifle back a cry at the last part of the sentence. I need to be strong right now. I look over to Belle who is watching the scene unfold with wide nervous eyes as Snow White attempts to calm her down. "Gold you need to let go of her" I blink returning my focus back to my daughter whose unconscious form rests in my hands. _If only I'd gotten here sooner_. Part of me knows I need to let go of her so they can get her in the ambulance but I came so close to losing her today, twice so how can I let go? Emma eventually pulls my hands away from her head. I push her off, "She'll be okay Gold"

"And how can _you _know that?" I ask angrily, "If it weren't for you accusing her of murder none of this" I say gesturing to the hustle and bustle of paramedics and people, "would have happened"

Emma stiffens guiltily before meeting my enraged gaze with an indignant one, "Hey, the evidence was pretty solid against your daughter. I get that you're pissed but don't blame me for this"

I take a deep breath knowing she's right. The anger rises in my veins again when I catch sight of Hook crumpled on the floor, "You're right dearie, it's his" I say in a low snarl before moving to approach him. Sensing the danger in my voice and eyes Emma steps forward before placing her hand on my arm, "Hey Gold that isn't going to help"

"He took Belle and he helped Cora" I begin until she cuts me off, "I know, I get it but right now you should be with your daughter" she says insistently before tugging me away from the pirate and towards the ambulance. "He'll ride along" she tells the EMTs who are eying me warily. Her voice tells me there's no room for argument on this. I look at my daughter looking so small and fragile on the gurney and I know Emma's right. As much as I'd love to kill Hook right now my anger and need for revenge must wait, my daughter and Belle are more important.

I ignore the fearful glances from the paramedics whose main attention is on the driver of the car that hit Hook. I can't help the smirk that forms on my face knowing that at the very least he has been injured. It might sound cruel but right now given what he just did to my family I can't think of a person who deserves it more. I shake my head pushing that thought away for now, the insignificant pirate is a matter for the others to worry about. I reach for my daughter's hand and squeeze it. The EMTs pause clearly surprised by the movement before returning their attention to the badly injured man, "I'm here Regina, you're going to be okay" I whisper placing a kiss to her knuckles hoping beyond hope that what I'm saying will be true.

* * *

They take her away from me when we arrive at the hospital leaving me to wait in the hallway. Silence descends briefly allowing my mind to replay what just happened tonight. Images flash before my eyes, Belle scared and panicking, Belle being shot, Hook's grinning face as he pulled the trigger, Cora's cold smirk, Regina pinned up against the tree, Regina passed out on the ground, the car heading towards her. Oh god. I sit down in one of the hard chairs resting my head in my hands, _I let them down_. I let them talk me into going onto that damn boat and now I've lost Belle and Regina, oh god Regina, I promised her I'd protect her and I failed.

A loud noise slams me from my thoughts and I raise my head to see another pair of gurneys come through the doors this time escorted by the Sheriff and her parents. _Hook_ I think still picturing that malicious smirk on his face, oh how I'd like to wipe that from his face permanently. The figure on the other gurney causes my heart to jump in my chest, _Belle_. Part of me holds onto the hope that maybe she might remember now.

"Belle?" I ask optimistically.

She looks at me terrified, "Stay away from me!" Emma gives me a serious look, "It might be better if you stay here until the doctor checks her out"

"But I love her" I say quietly.

Emma gives me a sympathetic look before replying, "She doesn't know you Rumple, if you go in there and begin professing your love all you're going to do is freak her out"

Sometimes you can pretend everything will be okay and hope that that small belief will be enough to make it so. Sometimes however days come like today where reality crashes down and reminds you that everything is a long way from okay. Days like today where you can wake up with your family safe only to end it with them anything but. I sit down feeling utterly hopeless. Emma frowns at my dejected expression before sitting down next to me, "I still need you to tell me what happened out there"

I let loose a laugh that combined with the sob that has been caught in my throat for the ambulance ride sounds borderline hysterical, "What happened? Cora happened! I made a promise to my daughter and I broke it. I told her I would protect her and instead I serve her and Belle up on a silver platter. They ambushed us on that godforsaken ship! Cora took them to the town line." I'm still not entirely certain what her intentions were in doing so, "She hurt Regina, she hurt her" my voice breaks into a whispered cry, god that cruel woman, I curse the day I ever laid eyes on her, "Hook shot Belle but she fell over the line" _alive but lost to you now_ "Then he was going to go after Regina when that car came barrelling through. I could have lost them both"

A hand on my shoulder pulls me from my rambling statement, "You didn't. Remember that. You healed Belle and you saved Regina"

"I failed her"

Emma offers me a half-smile, "I don't think she'll see it that way Gold. Look I've got to go check on the stranger guy, are you going to be okay here?"

I nod half-heartedly. She pauses but leaves anyway. I settle back into the stiff chair letting my mind torment me with thoughts of Belle and Regina. _If only I had made them stay behind_. I wonder if it would have made a difference. Knowing them they'd have come anyway just without me, not that I was much help once Cora blasted me across that cabin.

I shut my eyes frowning as an unfamiliar image comes to life in my mind. _A raised dagger. My dagger. Cora. Regina crying._ I open my eyes again as the fragmented images flicker away. It's in times like these where I almost wish I didn't take that seer's powers. People always think it must be great to know what lies ahead but when the future itself is so uncertain it can often be less helpful than it appears. All I end up with at times is a selection of jumbled pictures that may or may not come to pass. I sigh, over the past few days the image of the dagger keeps popping up. I fear I know what that means.

I look behind me to the room where a doctor is taking care of Regina. If the image means what I think it does then I cannot let her be alone. I will not let that happen. I look up to the ceiling knowing Belle is up there. Emma said not to go up there but if anyone can fix this I should be able to. Maybe all she needs is something to trigger her memory, something precious and meaningful. I hold out my palm and envision our cup appearing. After a few seconds it lands in my palm, chip and all.

I peer into Regina's room and see the doctor frowning at an X-Ray. I blink back a tear at seeing her lying there still asleep. I sigh staring at the porcelain in my hand hoping that this will work. I smile looking at the small imperfection on the rim of the cup, every time I see it I can picture her nervous expression as she picked it up. The moment where my heart remembered the power of love. Before I head upstairs I grab hold of a nurse and ask her to let me know when I can see my daughter. After looking at me warily for a few seconds she nods.

With one quick glance back at her room I transport my way upstairs. Emma and her cohorts are bickering about something or other, I honestly could not care less right now, and so luckily I am able to slip into Belle's room unnoticed.

She looks so peaceful asleep that for a moment I forget about her amnesia, she just looks so much like herself that I lose myself in the illusion and kiss her. She wakes with a scream at the motion before jerking away, "Y-you" she stutters fearfully, "What were you doing?"

I frown, "I thought maybe if I kissed you you'd remember. True love's kiss breaks any curse"

She blinks startled, "I don't love you! I don't even know you" she adds apologetically. I understand her shock, I can't imagine anyone would be thrilled to wake up being kissed by a strange man who they witnessed do the impossible mere hours ago. I try not to let her words injure me but I can't help it. Her apology is like an arrow in the heart. I cough determined to regain composure as I run my fingers along the edge of the cup.

"You don't right now but you will again" I say with more confidence than I have, "I brought something that might help" I add showing her the cup.

She smiles confusedly, "It's a cup"

"It's not just a cup" I say before bringing it closer to her, "Just hold it please"

She eyes me curiously before cautiously taking it from my hands. I watch her hopefully, "It's a nice cup" she says finally. I look into her bright blue eyes only to be disappointed at seeing no recognition pass through them.

I place my hands over hers, maybe we both need to hold it for her to work, "Uh what are you doing?"

"Just give it a second" I murmur beginning to lose hope that this will succeed.

"Can you let me go?" she asks pleadingly. I can sense her fear but I hold on just in case the cup needs more time to work. Part of my brain knows that this was going to happen instantly or not at all but letting go means I failed.

"Just look at it. You have to remember. You dropped this cup when you first started working for me. You chipped it. Remember?"

"No I don't. Seriously you're scaring me. Let go"

"Please you have to remember. I love you" as I utter my plea I don't notice the frustration blossoming on her expression, "Remember our little chipped cup?" I continue.

"I told you I don't! Stop asking!" she finally shouts tossing the cup. I feel my own heart shatter as the fragile porcelain smashes against the wall. I walk over to the fragments, my heart heavy and aching. _I've lost her_. Ignoring her confused glance I use my magic to put the pieces back together. I look back to her seeing the fear from the town line again. "I won't hurt you" I promise clutching our cup, the only thing we have left.

"Please just leave" she whispers tiredly. I nod. She doesn't remember. I look at the cup in my hand vowing to treasure it like I always have done. It is all I have of her for now. _Don't worry Belle, I won't give up on you_ I vow internally knowing that I need to get her back. I focus my magic sending it back to its place in my shop knowing that at the very least I can keep that safe.

* * *

I walk slowly down the steps feeling a lot more tired than I did when I transported up there. A lot can change in a few moments. A man can have his heart and hope battered by a cup and the woman who can't remember him. It's been too long a day, one filled with fear, heartbreak and pain. Right now I just want to be with my daughter. I just need to know she's okay.

As I left Belle's room I remembered my vow not to let Regina be alone. Eventually Belle's memories might be restored, if not by me but by those damn fairies but I can sense that a battle is coming soon. Too soon for me to prevent or figure out but hopefully enough time for me to do something that must be done just in case this battle is the end of me. I can attempt to make things right with my son. I can get him to come back here and then neither of my children will be alone, they'll have each other and one day Belle.

I re-enter the waiting room and Emma immediately approaches me, "Gold we need your help with the stranger" she says frantically.

I scoff, not today, not now, I'm in no mood. Why should I help them? "Well that's tough dearie, I am in no mood to help anyone"

"Please Gold, you can fix him"

"And why should I do that? I owe you people no favours, in fact some of you" I add staring pointedly at Emma, "owe me one. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go check on my daughter"

* * *

Mercifully none of them decide to chance following me, hopefully this means they've got the message that I care not for their petty problems right now. My main concern is for Regina. As I walk down the hallway I search for her doctor who handily is at the nurse's station, "Excuse me" I say clearing my throat to get his attention.

He turns looking annoyed at being interrupted before seeing me, "Oh M-Mr Gold" he stutters nervously, "How can I help you?"

"My daughter, how is she?"

"She has a fracture to her humerus, from what I can tell the bone was pulled and then crushed?" he asks.

I nod wincing as I picture my daughter and her vile mother who caused such pain. "Please continue"

"Well aside from that she has a few minor cuts and bruises. She passed out from exhaustion. She'll be fine though Mister Gold I can assure you"

"Physically" I mutter, "When can she leave here?"

"I'd like to keep her here overnight but as long as her shoulder is kept immobilised she can leave here tomorrow"

I nod, "Good, thank you doctor" I leave him without another word and slowly enter my daughter's room. Her upper arm is encased in a cast and sling, I assume to keep it still, but aside from that she just looks like she's sleeping.

I pick up a chair from the corner of the room and bring it to the side of the bed before lowering myself down. With a yawn I look over to Regina. Somehow I doubt I will get much sleep tonight as I can feel the guilt and sorrow lacing itself with my heart over today. I squeeze her uninjured hand, I may have let her down today but I can be here now.

I run through my plan in my head once more. I need to get to the ship one more time, while we were searching I spotted a particular item of Cora's that will help me locate Bae. After that I shall need to procure four plane tickets to wherever he may be, one for myself, one for Regina, one for Miss Swan whose bounty hunter skills I shall require and one for Henry who I imagine both my daughter and the Sheriff will want to bring along. Admittedly I can allow this since their reasoning will be the same as my reason for bringing Regina along, to keep her out of Cora's way. This time though I won't take no for an answer. I know she'll argue against it but if she's with me at least I'll know she's safe.

"Hi" the quiet mutter interrupts my musings and I look up to see Regina slowly looking at me.

I smile feeling a relieved tear slide down my cheek, "Hi" I reply back standing and moving closer to the bed.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

She groans, "My arm hurts but otherwise I should be fine. How's Belle?"

I gulp again before sitting on the edge of her bed, "Hook shot her" she moves to sit wincing slightly at the movement, "Is she alive?" I can see the fear flickering in her eyes. I nod, "Yes and I healed so physically she's okay but when Hook shot her she feel over the town line"

"No" she whispers before turning to me with an apologetic look, "I'm so sorry, I should have done something or shielded her better" a tear rolls down a pale cheek and I move to pull her into a careful hug so I don't jostle her arm, "It's not your fault dearie"

"I could have moved her away or t-told you sooner. I'm sorry" she repeats. I shush her resting my hand on her back, "Sh you did everything you could. I'm the one who should be apologising."

She pulls back a little to look at me her brow furrowed in confusion before I continue, "I shouldn't have brought you onto that boat"

"I made you take me. Besides we both know that had you gone without me I'd have just gone by myself anyway"

"I know but I promised to protect you and I failed. I'm sorry Regina"

She shakes her head with a small smile, "You didn't fail. If anything you saved both Belle and I. That isn't failure Dad"

I blink in surprise at the word. In all the hectic panic of the day's events it had barely even registered that she called me that earlier as well, I just took it as her fear kicking in but now a relative moment of peace it shocks me for a few moments, "Dad?" I ask quietly almost afraid that this moment of acceptance will pass as quickly as it came.

She smiles at me before leaning back on her pillows, "Yes Dad" she says slowly. I grin at her before placing a kiss on her forehead, "I love you, get some rest" I say ruffling her hair before sitting back down.

She nods taking a deep breath, I can see her deliberating with herself before she replies very quietly, "Love you too, will you stay?" the question comes in a small voice, one that I would have missed had I not been listening intently.

I nod squeezing her hand, "I'm right here". I wait for her to fall back asleep before finally succumbing to my own exhaustion and hoping sleep comes.

_I've had the end bit of this chapter in my head for a long time and to me this seemed like the right moment for it. I'm babysitting my brother next week at my mother's house next week so I'm not sure when my next update will be. My hope is Wednesday but don't hold me to that! Always happy to hear what you think. Thank you for reading :)_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi, I know I said I'd get this up Wednesday but my little brother is a demanding menace! Sorry this took so long. I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy it :)_

_A sharp stabbing pain in my chest. _

_"Papa!" _

_The sound of something heavy hitting the floor. _

_"Dad?" the second voice quieter than the first. _

_My dagger is raised in the air. _

_"No, Mother please don't!" Regina being held back by a man. _

_Sobbing. _

_A scream. _

_Then nothing. _

Several times today I consider telling Regina of my plan and each time I chicken out claiming to myself that it would be better to wait until we're both at home or until she looks less exhausted. Even I know these are weak excuses and that the sooner I tell her the more time I have to put my plan in motion. Unfortunately I am torn, part of me sees how tired and injured she is by her mother's actions and I don't want to add more stress or undue pain to that but then there is the other voice in my head reminding me that I cannot keep this from her much longer, the future may be uncertain but I know for sure that whatever is coming will arrive soon. I sigh as I unlock the door and quickly hurry Regina through the threshold knowing that I need to bite the bullet and come clean to my daughter.

"What's going on?" her question interrupts my silent debate and I turn to face her interrogating gaze. I clear my throat with a degree of sheepishness knowing my poorly veiled attempts at covering up my need to talk have indeed failed. She frowns at my continued silence, her eyes conveying undisguised worry as she searches my pensive expression, "What happened?" she asks quietly. Her tone catches me off guard, I was expecting accusation not the layer of fear creeping into her voice. She sounds I think almost scarily like the scared young woman who summoned me to teach her magic all those years ago. I sigh knowing it's days like yesterday that remind me that beneath all her bravado and mayoral confidence there is still a girl lurking deep beneath the surface who knows that things go wrong, the problem in growing up with that view of life is that you spend a lot of time waiting for the other shoe to drop. One can only imagine how much our recent encounter with Cora and Hook must have exacerbated that fear.

"Let's sit" I say in response before guiding her to the couch. I can feel her eyes continuing to search my face for a sign of what is about to come. "I need to tell you something" I begin slowly hoping this conversation goes well.

She blanches, her face pale with a worrying kind of panic, once I have explained my intention to leave and find Bae. "Y-you're leaving?"

I reach out and place my hand on her shoulder, "You're coming as well dearie"

She frowns, "But-"

"No, I ignored my instincts on the Jolly Roger and you could hurt, I can't and won't let that happen again Regina. I need to find Bae and the best way to keep you safe is for you to come"

"But with my mother in town I need to protect Henry"

"We'll bring him as well. I need Miss Swan anyway to help locate Bae. Besides which the fact that your mother is still here means I can't leave you alone to face her. Please just come" I don't know if it's my obvious desperation or not wanting to be left where her mother can easily get her but somehow in spite of her clear hesitation she nods.

"Thank you, alright then dearie I must go and remind Miss Swan of her favour and then make some last minute travel arrangements" I gloss over the last part knowing full well she'll only worry. Unfortunately my vagueness does not go unnoticed, "What travel arrangements exactly?"

"Nothing to worry yourself over Regina, just try and get some rest"

She eyes me suspiciously but nods with a yawn as her tiredness begins to take precedence over her scepticism, "Fine" she says in a clipped tone clearly still apprehensive about what I'm not telling her.

* * *

Luckily after yesterday both Cora and Hook are absent from the ship since the Charmings had the invisibility charm lifted. Sadly that is where my luck ends. A thorough search of the damn boat later and I have yet to find what I am looking for. I sigh exasperatedly knowing I should have guessed Cora wouldn't have been so short-sighted to leave her belongings here once her presence had been revealed.

I snap my fingers as I realise the only other place in Storybrooke that she would think to hide her belongings.

"What are you doing here?" my head whirls round to face the irritated scowl plastered across my daughter's expression.

"I could ask you the same question" I reply in a mildly sardonic tone. She should ideally be resting not traipsing after me as I search for what I need.

"I couldn't sleep. You lied to me" she says accusingly before walking over so we're standing eye to eye. "What is it you're looking for? And no more lies this time. I'll know"

"If I tell you will you go home?" I proffer a deal so different to ones we would have struck so long ago. It still amazes me at times that now the compromises I wish to reach with her are ones that ensure her safety given our wretched history.

She frowns clearly displeased with her end of that bargain, "Somehow I doubt I'm going to want to once you tell me" she mutters before sighing and nodding begrudgingly as she mumbles a terse "Fine" before seating herself on a sturdy crate.

"Well as you can imagine dearie finding Bae will be rather difficult and your mother has an object that will aid me in narrowing down the search area. Once I have located it and used said item we can find him"

"One assumes it isn't here"

"Indeed. Knowing Cora as I do she'll have moved her things once she was discovered to be in town and I believe they will be down in your vault"

"And if it isn't?"

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it"

"You want me to go back now don't you?" she asks tiredly.

"I do dearie. I know you are going to want to come with me Regina but I will not risk your safety again."

She sucks in her bottom lip clearly trying to think of a way out of going home. I can practically hear the cogs turning in her brain before she returns my stern gaze and realises that I'm not going to budge on this one. With a small sigh she nods, "Don't be long" she says curtly though I can see a small flash of fear ghost across her somewhat haunted expression.

I reach out and squeeze her good shoulder, "Thirty minutes"

"Thirty minutes" she repeats "If you're not back in time I will come out to the crypt myself"

"I don't doubt that dearie" I reply with a small nervous chuckle knowing full well she will fulfil that promise if I'm even a minute late.

* * *

The vault is ice-cold as I descend the steps, the only sound being the ever fainter noise of wind rustling the leaves outside. The air feels empty yet bone-chilling all at once – I repress a shudder as I continue walking into the stony depths of the crypt.

There's a tingling in the air and judging by that faint buzz of magic I need to find the object I require quickly.

Luckily magic means I can rifle through Cora's things with ease and speed eventually finding what I need. I lift the white globe out of its strongbox and grasp it in my hands examining the particularly useful object. A fairly simple to use trinket but definitely dangerous in the wrong hands, I remember a lesson I taught Regina many years ago, _the plainest thing can hold untold peril_.

"Did no-one ever teach you it was rude to go through a person's things Rumple?" I take a breath composing myself before turning to face her.

"Cora" I say tersely.

She glides closer, the candle-light catching on a few of the gems on her dress causing the flames to magnify and grow as she moves across the room before reaching me. "So my dear, what exactly has you rifling through my belongings? One would think you'd be with our darling daughter" she adds with a vicious smirk.

I suppress the urge to react knowing that her aim is to set me on edge and make me do something rash. In earlier days I might have reacted centuries of experience has taught me that sometime bravery does not come in lashing out and picking battles but that it comes in having the knowledge to know when the time to fight is. Now is not one of those times. I need the globe and to get back to my daughter thus I have no time for petty squabbles with Cora.

She scoffs at me silence trailing her finger over the now empty box with a knowing gaze, "Now what do you want with that?"

"None of your business dearie" I reply tersely.

"How rude" she says with a sickly grin, "And when you're planning on stealing with me as well. Tut-tut Rumple"

"Says the woman who stole our baby"

"And you think she'd have been better off being raised by a miller's daughter and the dark one? Really Rumple" she laughs again, the high bitter sound rattling off the walls around us. _Stay calm_ I think knowing full well what she is trying to do right now. I subtly check my watch seeing I only have fifteen minutes left. I scowl in her direction, "Because you raised her so well"

"Oh you wound me Rumple. Besides I think we both know who trained her and taught her all that dark magic don't we?" I feel a pang of guilt resonate in my chest, "Do you think I would have done all that if I had known the truth?"

She regards me with a vicious sneer before leaning in, "You did. After all who cast the curse? You can play the doting dad all you like Rumple but we both know your dark heart will cause you to lose her just like you lost your son. And when you do I'll be there"

My face falls into a frown as her words echo in my mind. Cora has after all always known how target a person's greatest fears and worries and she certainly hit the nail on the head as far as I am concerned. The lure of dark magic and power is indeed a powerful one and even I know that I have not always been able to resist it. Anger flares in my gut but I take a deep breath to try and squash it down. _Don't give her what she wants_ I remind myself. I need to find my son and keep my daughter safe and they are enough to keep me centred. I just hope that they will remain true. I turn back to face Cora's cold mocking stare, "That's not going to happen Cora. Not this time. Now as lovely as this has been I really must be going" I reply with a mirrored cold smirk before transporting out of the icy air of the crypt.

* * *

I blink as the ghost of my magic fades away revealing my kitchen. I sigh trying to shake off my latest encounter with Cora. Her taunting reminder about my previous choices of power over those I love continues to ring in my ears, _not this time_ I think, _not again_. I set the globe down on the counter and place a protective shield around it lest someone might come in and attempt to steal it. "Regina?" I call out into the empty silence. Frowning I walk out of the kitchen and into the living room. There I'm met with a sight that warms my heart – clearly Regina was too tired to make it back upstairs for she is sprawled out over the sofa, well dangling half off of it, her injured arm resting on a cushion as her head lolls over the armrest. With a small smile I cover her over with a blanket making note of the peaceful expression on her face. I crouch down next to the chair for a few minutes, _this is enough_ I think knowing my children can help push aside any thirst for power and darkness.

_For those reading The (sort of) Accidental Parent Trap that will be updated either tomorrow or Saturday. Next chapter of this will more than likely be next week. Let me know what you thought. Thank you for reading :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_AN: First off I would like to apologise because I meant to get this up sooner but life was lifey. Thank you to the people who are still sticking with this story. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like this chapter._

Regina fidgets awkwardly beside me as we stand outside the Charmings apartment before finally steeling herself and adopting a rigid posture. We both leave it unsaid that I am waiting to knock until she is ready to face her son (and her long-time enemies) once more. Finally she nods at me, a signal that it is time. Her forced Mayoral mask falls as soon Henry barrels through the door and engulfs her in a hug. She blinks surprised by his sudden onslaught of affection given how only a few days ago he thought that she had murdered Archie. I spot tears in her eyes as she kneels down to him, "I didn't kill Archie" she says after a while. He grins back at her, "I know Mom. Are you okay? He told us what happened" he replies staring in concern at her arm. She follows his gaze before flashing him a reassuring smile, "I'll be fine Henry. It's good to see you again." He smiles up at his mother, "I'm glad you're alright" he says, "I'm sorry about what your Mom did". Her face twists slightly into one of pain and her eyes take on that slightly haunted expression again. I frown knowing from this morning what it means.

_I see myself riding Rocinante across my old fields when my younger self is suddenly hoisted up into the air, "Mother please I'll be good" I hear as I try to run forward and stop my mother's magic. Cora cackles coldly turning and freezing me in my place, "You really think you can stop me Regina. You really have learned nothing" she sneers before laughing and pinning me up in the air as well. I stare into the frightened face of my young self certain she is seeing the same expression ghosted back at her. The girl in her blue riding coat stays passive and still but I struggle needing to get out. _

_"Oh look who decided to join us" my mother's voice rings shrilly through the air and I look over to see my father and Belle. They both stare vacantly up at the two versions of myself in the sky before Belle suddenly shatters into glass before me. "No" I whisper quietly but my mother catches it anyway. She smirks at me, a Cheshire cat style evil grin before turning to Rumple. "No Dad do something" I yell bucking against the restraints. He doesn't move just stares at me whilst holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hands. My mother pulls the sheet from his grip and his hand remains outstretched in the air after it. She throws me to the ground once more before pushing the drawing into my face, "This is what he wants Regina. His son. Do you really think he'll stick around for a worthless girl like you once he has his son?" I feel a cold tear slide down my cheek as my mother continues to laugh, "Dad" comes out of my mouth in a broken whisper but he still just stands there before slowly walking backwards. _

_"No" I whisper trying to stand up. This time I can and so I push the sneering looming figure of my mother out of the way. My legs are shaking and I can feel them crumbling into the floor as he walks away from me before simply fading off. I turn around frantically to see that with a loud pop my mother is gone too, so is the younger me. The tears roll down my face faster as I stay stuck in the ground alone. The sky begins to darken and the rain hammers down. _

_"Regina?" _

_"Regina. Wake up dearie" _

_I gasp awake to find my father standing over me shaking my shoulder gently. He looks at me with a worried expression as my mind still remembering the nightmare version of my mother scans the room. Not alone I think, he's here, he won't leave. I do my best to reassure myself but what if that dream was right? What if he finds his son and that's it? I feel a lone tear run down my slightly reddened cheeks before he catches it on his thumb, "It was just a dream" he says quietly still holding onto my shoulder. I nod though part of me isn't sure I believe that. _

I place my hand on her shoulder again hoping to bring her back to the here and now, she wouldn't tell me what her nightmare was about but whatever it was – and I'm guessing it was somewhat related to her mother – has clearly left her shaken judging by the slightly lost expression on her face. She shakes her head clearing it away as Emma steps over the threshold, "Gold" she says curtly before turning to face Regina. She blushes sheepishly before addressing my daughter, "Uh about Archie"

"It's a alright Miss Swan"

"It isn't, ya know you were trying and I screwed that up so I'm sorry"

In spite of her feigned indifference I can tell the apology helped judging by the smallest of smiles that graces Regina's features, "I accept your apology"

Emma exhales in relief, "Great so um here's the thing we've got to go on this trip together and we're both Henry's moms so truce?" she asks extending her hand. Henry remains close to Regina trying to figure out she's reacting to this. She stiffened at the 'both Henry's moms' part but I think somewhere deep down she knows it to be true. Finally after a long few minutes of them sizing each other up and looking down at the boy they both love she briefly shakes the Sheriff's hand, "Truce Emma"

Emma smiles back in response, "Right so shall we get going?" she asks only to be interrupted by Charming clearing his throat from behind her. He pauses looking at Regina who still has one arm wrapped around Henry before turning to me, a serious stare on his face. "Before you go" he begins sternly before his expression softens, "You're travelling with my family so make sure you protect them because I swear Gold if something happens to either one of them, dark one or not I will come after you"

His protective threat is a needless one since I have no intention of harming his daughter or my own grandson but nonetheless I know that were the situations reversed I would probably say the same. "Fair enough Charming, just as long as you protect mine"

He frowns, "I thought she was going with you" he says looking at Regina who merely rolls her eyes before addressing him, "He means Belle"

The shepherd prince nods in understanding, "Have a safe trip" he says in farewell to Emma and Henry. "Regina" he says with a nod, evidently I don't get a goodbye, how terribly rude.

* * *

The car ride is not as unpleasant as I assumed it would be, luckily my hunch about my memory remaining intact turned out to be true or that could have been ugly for all of us. Admittedly there was some early tension between the three of us adults but that was quickly eased by Henry's incessant asking of questions which irked me but seemed to relax Regina and Emma who focussed their attention on him instead of shooting each other glares.

Plus aside from some minor hiccups regarding airport procedure I would say my first foray into the world outside of Storybrooke has been successful. I'm not sure Regina would say the same since she has spent the entire time since we got to the airport brooding in silence. I have a feeling it's to do with the half scared/ half angered look when Emma called me her father as an excuse for my behaviour but I can't figure out why.

She sighs beside me before going to join Henry who is staring out at the planes through the big window with a look of awe and excitement. Her vacant seat is soon filled by the Sheriff who holds out a takeaway cup to me, "I got you a coffee, figured you might want one before we board"

"Thank you" I reply continuing to keep an eye on Regina and Henry.

"How's Regina handling all this?"

"The situation with her mother has been hard for her Miss Swan as you well know but she'll be alright" well at least I hope so.

"No I meant with the whole looking for your son thing" she says when I've finished my answer. At my silence she blinks surprised, "You must have talked to her about it right?"

I go to answer but find I have none, instead I sit open-mouthed as I wonder how it is that Emma Swan managed to figure out exactly what was wrong with my daughter without even trying when I was still stumped. Then again I think reflecting on the childhood the sheriff had I suppose if anyone would be able to understand Regina it would be Emma. I sigh wishing I was able to read these signs about my own daughter but I guess this is just another part of being her father I have yet to figure out. "Gold, you still there" Emma asks jokingly waving her hand in front of my face. I bat it away impatiently, "Yes Miss Swan, get that out of my face"

She puts her hand up in mock surrender , "Sorry" she mutters before turning to Henry, "Hey kid, if you want to get that Cinnabon now's your last chance before we board" Henry rushes over at her words tugging a surprised Regina behind him. "Ease up on your Mom there kid" Emma says noticing Regina's slightly stunned expression at being pulled along. Henry frowns apologetically, "Sorry Mom"

"That's alright Henry, here go get some pastries for us all" she says slipping him some money. His eyes go wide at the amount she gives him as he clearly envisions trays and trays of cakes. "I expect change back from that Henry" she adds seeing his face at the thought of that much sugar. He sighs, "Fine"

Emma laughs, "I'll make sure he doesn't but them out" she says before following Henry. I notice Regina's face fall slightly as she watches them walk away and so reach out for her hand. She startles for a moment pulling her hand away. I frown as she does and remember what Emma asked. "Could we talk for a moment?"

"The plane will be leaving soon" she says in evasion. I sigh seeing her renewed attempt at distance. I stand as she begins to walk away and step in her way, "I'll be quick"

"Fine" she huffs out, "What's so important?" she asks in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"It's about this trip. How do you really feel about it?" I watch as her face changes back into that lost one from earlier, "I don't want to talk about that" she whispers, "I need to go check on Henry" she says before I can interject and rushes off in direction of our fellow journey companions. I frown knowing her avoidance must be linked in some way to the nightmare she had but as much as I wish to help and figure out what's wrong I know I can't push her too far in case she pulls away again.

* * *

It's halfway through the plane journey when Emma and Henry have fallen asleep on their coats that Regina tugs on my sleeve. I turn sluggishly towards her, I'm tired but find myself unable to sleep aboard this strange flying vehicle, "Everything okay?" I whisper to her so as to not disturb anyone around us. She shakes her head, "I can't sleep" I stay silent knowing that this is one of the instances where I need to let her take her time, "The nightmare" she begins quietly, "It was about my mother". I nod putting an arm around her, relieved when she allows the movement, "She hurt me. She killed Belle. She said you'd leave when you found Bae and then you disappeared. Then she left too. I was alone" she finishes slowly swiping at a stray tear on her face. I take a deep shaky breath knowing full well now why she was so quiet earlier. I wish I could have spared her years of pain and abandonment but sadly I know that I have caused her a lot of that pain. A deep frown settles on my face as I know her fear of me leaving her once we've found Bae is all my own fault. I created the curse and made her cast it to find him. I manipulated her and the breaking of the curse to the same end. For her entire life I have been the one puppeteering things that hurt her and forced her into corners so that I could get to Bae. Regret is a painful thing and I wish I could soothe the agony and fear I have settled deep within Regina's mind but I know it won't be an easy thing. Right now the best I can do is prove to her that I am not just going to leave her.

"Regina" I begin trying to figure out exactly what to say, "I am not going to abandon you. I know in the past I used you as a means to find him and believe I understand that I caused you a great deal of pain in doing so. I wish I could take away that pain but I know I can't. What I can do Regina is assure you that I am not choosing Bae over you or you over him. I want both of my children in my life dearie and I swear to you aboard this strange flying tin can that I won't leave you" I say the last part hesitantly given my own fears about the future. The one thing I can be sure of though is that as long as I can help it, I will not abandon my children again. Regina smiles hesitantly although her fist remains clenched in my jacket throughout the rest of the flight.

* * *

After a quick pit-stop at our hotel, which looked a lot nicer in the pictures online, to drop off our bags the four of us set off down the streets of New York. Due to the hustle and bustle of the crowd surrounding us it more difficult than I anticipated to stay together and move quickly. Regina winces beside me as jogger accidentally jostles her arm before sidling a little closer to me and taking a quick look over her shoulder to make sure Henry and Emma are still behind us. Both of them were worried about the possibility of the inquisitive lad getting himself lost in a city like this, his reminder that he navigated Boston alone did not exactly help his argument as expected and instead led to Emma quite emphatically telling him to stay near herself or Regina at all times or risk getting stranded here. With an exasperated sigh he gave in though his annoyance at the request of his mothers seemed to disappear rather quickly once we rushed headlong into the throng of people.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Emma asks for what feels like the thousandth time. Regina rolls her eyes beside me before scoffing, "No dear, we figured we should just wander aimlessly down the streets and hope we find the place"

Emma frowns, "Really Regina?"

"What do you expect when you ask the same question over and over Emma? We've already told you several times. You'd think it would sink eventually dear even with your Charming genetics"

"Better a Charming than an evil witch" Emma mutters clearly without thinking. As soon as the words leave her mouth her hands fly up to cover it. Regina for her part looks as if she just got slapped. "Shit Regina I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that" Emma says in a flustered voice as Henry gives her a disapproving look. "Save it" Regina snaps though I can see the hurt still flickering across her face. I have a feeling Emma and Henry can too. "Regina please I shouldn't have said that" the blonde replies apologetically. "You still did" is all my daughter says before turning on her heel so that Emma is no longer in her eye-line. The trouble with words sometimes is that we forget what kind of affect they can have on us, especially the ones we never mean to say in the first place. Our walk from then on proceeds in a stony silence only punctuated for me by the occasional sniff from my daughter that only I can hear.

Finally after a painfully long and quiet walk through the busy streets of Manhattan I stop outside a fairly run-down looking building feeling the magic contained in my scarf pull towards it. "This one" I say definitively. Regina wrinkles her nose eying the building with disdain, "Are you sure?" she asks as Emma mutters "Nice place".

"Yes dearie. This is it. This is where Bae is" I pause staring at the daunting threshold of the small inconspicuous building knowing that once I step across that line I'll be one step closer to my son.

"Are you ready?" Regina asks quietly as Henry and Emma walk straight into the building without a moment's hesitation. What a loaded question I think, after all this time I've finally found him. I know without a doubt that he will not exactly be pleased to see me given how we said goodbye. Part of me though still dares to feel hopeful about this reunion and so with my daughter's arm over my own I take the leap over that entryway.

_Always happy to hear what you think. Thank you for reading :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_I was at my mum's house yesterday so I couldn't get this typed up until today. Spoilers for 2x14/2x15 but I kind of changed some bits. I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

The building's interior is about as impressive as its exterior, fading white paint on the walls, a nondescript set of lockers and a rusting black gate barring entry to unwelcome visitors which I feel I shall probably count as.

"No Baelfire" Henry says scanning the names.

"He probably changed his name kid, I doubt Baelfire is a great name to keep when you're in hiding. Any ideas name-wise Gold?" Emma asks. I frown, really I should have assumed that after all these years it was unlikely he would have kept the name Milah and I bestowed upon him and yet it still throws me. "No just a location" I reply. This may be more difficult than I first realised. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting a welcome hug and cup of tea but it's becoming clearer and clearer to me that my son does not seem to want to be found. _Should I leave him be? _ I shake my head getting rid of that nagging question I've had since we left on this hunt, I can't get this far only to turn back. With the future looming so uncertain I need to see him again, I need to get him back to Storybrooke.

"He'll be in this one" Emma's confident tone snaps me from my own mind and I hobble over, Regina following close behind and moving to stand with Henry. "How can you be so sure?" I ask, it's just a blank strip of paper.

"Trust me Gold. Finding people is what I used to do. If you're boy is in this building then he's in there" she replies tapping the paper strip again.

I eye her curiously until Regina pipes up, "Trust her" at Emma's surprised look she elaborates, "If anyone would know the importance of names it would be your son. What better way to hide than to be without a name?"

Emma nods with a shrug clearly still somewhat shocked that Regina would agree with her on anything before pressing the buzzer, "UPS package for 407"

We don't get an answer just the unmistakeable sound of someone disconnecting. Emma runs out of the building and we all follow to see a figure taking off down the street. Off to a great start I think bitterly. "Perhaps you should have said Fedex" Henry suggests with a cheeky grin. I'm about to glare at him when I notice Regina doing her best to stifle a laugh at his comment. I can let that one slide if it gives her a moment of happiness in amongst the current mess of our lives. "Well Miss Swan this is why I need you. Go after him"

She sighs before realising this is the favour I need, after all I am not exactly in a condition to go chasing after someone in a busy city. She nods, "Kid stay with your Mom" she says before taking after my son. Now I just have to hope she finds him.

* * *

The minutes tick by like hours, all of them excruciating as I hope for Miss Swan's return. Each second that passes by renews my determination to see him once more. I can't get this close only to fail. "I'm hungry" Henry moans from behind me scuffing his shoe on the pavement. I turn to my grandson as Regina scours the area for somewhere to get food frowning in disdain when the only option is a hot dog vendor that I sincerely doubt has had a visit from the health department in quite some time. I can't help but smile as she frantically looks for any other food outlet before facing the hot dog stand with a look of apprehension. "Hot dog dearie?" I ask through a small grin at which she scowls and Henry laughs, "Thanks Grandpa"

I blink shocked at the title before remembering that Henry has known for some time about his connection to myself. Yet the word still rings through my heart. Twenty-eight years and more I waited for a family and I know that even if it still needs a lot of work I do have that – Henry has just renewed that feeling of happiness. I just hope it won't be a fleeting one. A grandson. I've known I've had one since I gave him to Regina but still how do I even go about being a grandparent? I'm still trying to figure out how to be Regina's father. A tug at my arm distracts me and I notice Regina looking at me with a bemused grin, "Are you coming? If not you'll probably end up having to buy the whole cart given Henry's appetite." I simply nod letting my daughter drag me over to Henry and realise that it's not all hard work, sometimes family just comes together and even if there are still a great number of issues to deal with they can still seamlessly have moments where they can just be with each other, no drama, no fuss, just three people eating hot dogs.

"Are you nervous?" Henry asks as we walk back to the building. Well there's an understatement. Nervous doesn't begin to explain it. After all these years I have no idea what kind of reaction I'm going to get from Bae. Part of me fears that it will be a flat out rejection. "A little" is what I end up replying.

"Don't be. Emma is really good at catching people"

"Well my son has been running a long time Henry. He's probably equally as good at avoiding those who seek to catch him"

"We found him though" Henry argues. Well that is true. "Indeed we did"

"Thanks for the hotdog" he says with a smile.

"Thank you for bringing Emma to town. Without your doing so Regina and I could not have engineered the breaking of the curse and I wouldn't have been able to find him in the first place. You truly are a remarkable young man"

"Thanks" he says before looking over to where Regina has gone with her hotdog to sit on a bench near the building, "I guess Mom deserves more credit than she gets. I mean Emma's my mother as well but they all see Mom as an evil queen but she did raise me"

"She did her best Henry"

"Did she really want the curse broken?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

I sigh sadly, "Because as much as it was a prison for everyone else it was for her to. She couldn't escape and was trapped to live the same day over and over except she was aware of it when others weren't. I think the only happiness she had was with you Henry"

He chews his hotdog thinking it over, "You know I forgave my Mom for lying to me and I forgave Emma for giving me up so I think Bae will forgive you too" how I wish I could have the innocence and belief he does. A child's heart is much more willing to forgive his parents even one as stubborn as Henry.

"Circumstances are different Henry. Your mothers changed for you and did their best to make sure you knew how much they loved you. Both of them have tried to protect you and love you and that's more than I did for my son"

"You love Bae though. And you're here and you want him. I'm sure that's all that will matter to him"

I smile, "I hope you're right Henry"

* * *

Emma returns empty-handed. I flinch feeling immediately that there's something off here but what? "What happened? Where is he?" I ask impatiently. "I lost him" the alarm bells go off in my mind at the blatant lie. She let him go but why? I can feel the impatience quickly turning to anger. She let my son escape. Does she not realise I have waited 300 years for this moment? And she has snatched it from me. "Well then" I sneer, "We'll just have to wait for him won't we?"

"Gold!" she shouts as I storm past my concerned daughter who has an arm slung protectively over Henry and into the building. "What's your plan here?" she asks as I slam my cane into the buzzer system until someone answers and allows me into the building. The cage style gate rattles as I hurry through it not even waiting to see if they follow me. Miss Swan may have allowed him to escape but I am not returning to Storybrooke without at least seeing my son and I will not let her steal that chance from me.

"You can't just break in" I hear Emma say as the three catch up to me. "There are laws" she adds. I wonder when she'll realise I don't give a damn as I get through the flimsy locks of the door and push it open, "Then you better make sure we don't get caught dearie"

I take a few seconds to take in the messy apartment. What few personal items there are have been quite haphazardly scattered about the small space. Evidently my son does not pride himself on neatness. "So what do we do? Just stay here until he comes back?" Henry asks sceptically.

"Precisely" I reply noticing that Emma is looking at a particular object with a far-off look in her eyes. "What's that?" I ask curiously. Does she seriously think I can't tell she's hiding something from? Well whatever it is I will find out. This is my son we're trying to find and she thinks she can keep things from me? Not a chance.

"Just a dreamcatcher" she shrugs nonchalantly though I can see the slightest flinch in her features that confirms for me her dishonesty. That object means more than she's letting on, "What do you know?" I ask, a slightly angry snarl on my face.

"Nothing"

"LIAR!" I yell.

She frowns, "Um Regina maybe you and Henry could wait in the other room?" she suggests. I turn and see how my daughter is observing us both with intense scrutiny whilst Henry looks slightly afraid. "No they stay here" I say knowing that at the very least I can restrain myself in their presence. "What are you hiding Miss Swan?"

"I've already told you I don't know anything!" she yells back but I can see her panic at the idea of being caught increasing.

"Just tell him Emma" my daughter snaps. I can feel the anxiety coming off her and Henry in waves. "Yes just tell me" I say twirling my cane in my hands as a subtle threat. I'm not planning on using it but she's seen what I can do with it before.

She gulps before a figure crashes through the door yelling "DON'T TOUCH HER!" I almost drop my cane in shock. My Bae. My Boy. Scruffy brown hair like when he was a child. His face is hardened in anger at seeing me but he's here. "Bae" I gasp put tears creeping into my throat without warning at facing the son I have been trying to reach for so long. Finally I found him.

"It's Neal now. I don't want to see you" he says definitively, "So you may as well leave"

"Look Bae just please hear me out. You came back here after all"

"For Emma, I know what happens to people who break deals with you. Are you okay?" he asks looking at Emma with concern. I frown as the gears in my mind turn. "You two know each other" the look they just shared was not one of two strangers but one of those with an intimate past.

"We don't" Emma replies weakly.

"Ma what's going on?" Henry asks from Regina's arms.

"Ma?" Bae asks, "Ma?" he repeats turning to Emma who visibly gulps. I recognise her expression well. It's the one of someone who made the mistake of a lie only for it to come back and bite her in the ass. "Kid how old are you?" Bae asks.

"Eleven" Henry says before his frustration gets the better of him, "Now will someone tell me what is going on here?"

"Eleven" Bae repeats, "Emma is this my son?" he asks his voice choking up on the last word. No I think, how can that be? I look to Henry and study him in my shock. "No" he says quietly before repeating it louder, "No, you said my Dad was dead!" he yells at Emma.

"Kid I'm sorry" she begins before he backs away from her with a betrayed expression, "No. You said he was a firefighter. A hero" the room fills with an indescribable sense of sorrow my grandson's belief is shattered by the revelation. He looks at Emma with a look of pain at being lied to by her, of all people the one he saw as his saviour, before he bolts out the window, his feet hammering up the metal steps the only sound in the now silent room.

"Did you know?" comes the quiet question from the forgotten corner of the room. I turn to see Regina piercing me with a gaze of both shock and horror, she's just seen her son betrayed by the person he trusted most and I can tell that his hurt causes her pain. At the same time I know what she's asking. She needs to know that Henry was not merely another pawn and that my giving her a son was not just part of my quest to find Bae and in this instance I can tell the truth. I had no idea who Henry's father way. I certainly wouldn't have guessed that Henry would wind up my grandson twice over. "I didn't" I answer solemnly, "I promise I didn't know. I knew he was Emma's but I didn't know this"

"What's it to you anyway?" Neal demands clearly curious to who Regina is.

"She's Henry's mother" Emma says.

"What?"

"I had to give Henry up for adoption. You left me in prison, how could I have taken care of a baby Neal?!" she asks angrily her voice tinged with resentment. "So I gave him up and he went to Regina"

"I didn't know you were pregnant" he says weakly. I can see the guilt in his eyes at letting Emma go to prison. I suspect there is more to that story than I know but now is not the time to ask.

"Neither did I and it shouldn't have mattered! If you loved me at all you wouldn't have let me take the fall for you. We could have had Tallahassee"

"Emma" he begins but she cuts him off, "No save it, I'm going to go talk to Henry. Talk to your father" she says before climbing out through the open window.

Bae ignores me and turns to Regina, "So you raised my son?"

"Yes"

"Well then I guess I owe you a thank you. Who were you in our land?" he asks.

"Regina. The Evil Queen" she adds the second part quietly, almost ashamed of the title she has to bear given the curse and other actions she took in the name of revenge. Seeing the haunted and hurt expression in her eyes upon uttering her title only serves to remind me of the pain I caused both my children. I could have saved them both.

"My son was raised by the evil queen?" he asks incredulously.

"I love him" Regina says defensively, "I looked after him, I took care of him when he was sick and cheered him up when he was sad, I'm the one who kept him fed and warm. Yes I made mistakes but he made me happy and made me realise there was more than revenge out there for me. I did my best to be a good mother to him"

"So how'd he end up with Emma?" I can tell he's just curious but Regina flinches at the casual question. "The curse broke" she says quietly, "And he wanted to live with her"

Bae nods, "And you just let him go?"

She stands a little straighter before fixing him with a glare, "It's what he wanted. I tried to keep him close but he just resented me for it. With him I wasn't the evil queen. I just wanted to be Regina" she says tiredly and at that she walks out the door.

"Regina?" I ask worried as to where she plan to go, "I'll just be downstairs" she says before practically fleeing the room. Bae observes the exchange curiously but doesn't question it. Once she's out of sight he turns to me, "So you were this desperate for a talk, talk"

I'm about to speak when I feel a stabbing sensation in my heart. My senses go into overdrive as I feel tendrils of fear snake up through my mind. "Regina" I whisper.

"What? You spend all these years trying to find me and you want to talk about Regina?" Bae asks incredulously.

I shake my head, "No something's wrong" I say before hobbling out the door Bae following me with a confused expression. "How do you know?"

"I can sense it"

"How?"

"She's my daughter"

He stops dead in the hallway, "Seriously?"

I nod, "Yes, I didn't know myself until she was already queen"

"But you still made her cast the curse?"

"I needed to find you and it was prophesised that she was the one" it's a poor defence but it's all I have.

"You're unbelievable. Even with your second child you chose magic over her. You could have saved her and stopped her or given her a better life"

"I wanted to find you" I say, "I should never have let you fall through that portal Bae. I know now that was a mistake. Please just give me a chance"

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm your father and I'm here. I want you"

"Tough, you gave me up because power and magic was more important. You may want me but did you even consider how I would feel with you just turning up here? No. You don't care about me or Regina. You dragged her across the country injured. You just care about what you want" he says.

I'm too stunned to come up with a reply. Instead I continue walking down the stairs and wonder if his quick assessment is right. I didn't think of what either of them wanted or how they would feel about it. I just did what I wanted, what I thought was best but what if it isn't? What if my selfishness just pushes them away? I frown knowing I need to make this up to them but how? I've hurt them both so badly by pursuing my own wants and needs that's difficult to know where to start. The pang in my chest increases as we continue down the stairs and only worsens as I hear Neal call out "Regina?!"

I make it past the gate mere seconds after he does but that does not stop my blood running cold at what I see.

A hook at my daughter's throat. Silver shining in the harsh lights of this foyer.

"Dad" comes the cry from her lips as she struggles against the man holding her captive. He merely tightens his hold and fixes me with a steely glare "Ah crocodile I knew we'd meet again" I watch transfixed in horror as the dangerous metal of his hand comes mere millimetres from her neck.

"So tell me Rumple" he snarls, "Why should I not press down into your daughter's lovely neck right now?" she whimpers as he brings his head closer.

"Let go of her" I say coldly, her distress kicking me into action.

He tugs her head closer to his own and proceeds to kiss her cheek as she cries, "Be still Regina, we wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents would we?" he asks with a small laugh.

My heart hammers dangerously in my chest as I walk closer. "Let go of my daughter"

"And why should I do that? I see no better revenge than slitting her throat right here and having you watch her die just like how I had to watch my Milah die because of you"

"Your fight if with me, not her"

"Ah but you see she's important to you and I've found the best revenge is often in striking close to a man's heart"

He's right. The mere thought that he could kill her at any second sends terror through my veins. "Take me instead" I proffer knowing I would willingly die a thousand times if it would keep my children safe.

"No!" Bae and Regina shout. I don't even notice he's moved closer to Hook.

"But I don't want you to die just yet crocodile. I'd rather you suffer first like I've had to"

_All magic comes with a price_ my old mantra floats through my mind. Normally I don't care who pays the price of thoughtless magic but right now the cost of my own rash use of magic against Milah is staring me in the face and if anyone should be made to pay for my actions on the Jolly Roger it should not be my daughter but me. That hook of his is getting closer and closer to Regina's trembling flesh. She's not fighting him anymore and has instead gone completely still aside from the occasional tremor of fear and the odd tear snaking down her cheek.

His smile gleams at me as his hook moves slower before sliding down to her chest. "No" she whimpers and begins thrashing against him to try and make him loosen his grip but his other arm is still tight against her neck. My blood boils as rage floods my system. I'm not even thinking clearly as I see him raise his hook in the air before trailing it along her breast as she tries and fails to release herself, "Please stop" she whispers. That helpless plea is what propels my feet over to him, gone is my fear of encouraging him to hurt her more by moving, instead I raise my cane and bring it up against his arm. He frowns as his hook does not reach his intended target, his other arm still holding my daughter tight. He sneers at me again before he's falls forward Regina tumbling from his grasp.

I look up and see Bae holding a trashcan before dropping it and pointing to my chest with horror. My eyes travel down and I see what I didn't feel while caught up in my need to save Regina from that pirate's clutches – a bright red seeping from a fresh wound on my chest. Sometimes it's not the wound that you see coming that gets you, it's the one you barely feel, the stab you don't see coming that can be the most dangerous.

I collapse to the ground feeling the poison begin to course through my bloodstream as I hear two voices shout out "Papa" and "Dad" before everything fades to black.

_That ending took me a while because I kept changing my mind about how it would end, let me know what you think of it. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_AN: Hello again. I was initially going to split this into two chapters but after writing it I liked how it worked as one which is why it's as long as it is. I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

Neal, Bae whatever his name is helps me off the cold grungy floor just as I see my father collapse. "Dad" I call out as the man next to me shouts "Papa". I don't understand. I stand gingerly trying to calm my breathing down from the panic of Hook's sudden assault. _He saved me _I think as Neal runs over to our fallen father. What the hell is going on? I flinch away from Hook's unconscious form before quickly walking over. "Papa" Neal whispers shaking him. I blink confused as I try to find a reason for his condition before my eyes land on a small wound on his chest. I can feel my breathing back up again, _please just be a normal wound_ I silently pray even though I know it won't be. Careful to avoid making it worse I open up his shirt to catch sight of the seeping wound. There's scarlet red from the blood but also a strange yellow colouring the affected area as well. "What is that?" Neal asks about to touch it. I quickly block his hand, "Poison" in response he shoots me a worried look, "Can you fix it?"

_I don't know_. "Not here. Maybe back in Storybrooke"

"Well then we've got to get there"

"Really?" I ask as Neal picks up our still unconscious father. I wince seeing how his head lolls against Neal's shoulder. I don't think I'd be as worried if he would just wake up. A year ago I despised him but now the idea of losing him causes a hollow pit in my stomach. I take in a deep breath. _Now is not the time to fall apart. He needs you to save him so do it._

Neal frowns at my earlier surprised question, "You're surprised?" he asks.

"A little. You didn't exactly look happy to see him"

"I'm still angry at him. I still feel betrayed but he's my father and I can't just let him die" he replies determinedly. I nod in understanding, "What do we do about him?" I ask pointing to Hook. He gives me a concerned look glancing at the faint red line on my neck from his poisonous weapon, I shudder realising that had my father and Neal not stepped in he would have killed me. "I'll deal with him" Neal replies before leading us up the stairs.

* * *

We walk back into the room to come face to face with Emma and Henry. I can see the anger and betrayal on Henry's face morph into confusion and fear, "What happened?"

"We ran into one of my Dad's enemies" Neal replies as he lays him down on the worn couch. I kneel down next to him as Emma asks "Who?"

"Hook" he says before looking at me, "You okay?"

I blink surprised by his concern, "I'm fine, go deal with Hook" I reply. Henry comes and sits next to me as I grab a wet cloth and place it over the wound, "Mom what happened?" he asks pointing to my neck.

"I went down to the lobby to give Rumple and Neal a chance to talk but Hook was there." I gulp flinching at the far too recent memory. "He grabbed me but Dad stopped him from hurting me"

"So he saved you?" Henry asks looking at his grandfather. I nod. He suddenly hugs me, "I'm glad he did". I smile slightly, "Me too". My smile falls though as I catch sight of that dangerous wound knowing the price he paid for rescuing me. "Can you heal him Mom?"

"When we get to Storybrooke I'll try Henry" I say with a lot more confidence than I feel. Emma notices my lack of surety and kneels down next to our son, "Hey kid, can you go find somewhere to charge this for me please?" she asks handing out her phone. He shoots her a confused look before staring back at me, "It's okay Henry" I say squeezing his hand gently as a thank you for his concern before I return my own gaze back to my ailing father.

Once Henry is out of sight Emma sits in his place, "Can you really fix him?" she asks. I wince as her question voices my own doubts. _What if I can't fix him?_ I bite down on my lip hard to try and stop the tears that are threatening to fall. After everything that's happened over the past year I can't lose him. I can't. He stood by me and he believed in me. He may have caused me a lot of pain in my past but like Neal said, he's my father and I don't want to see him die. _He promised not to leave me_. "Regina?" Emma asks concerned at my lack of answer. If I look up at her I know she'll see the tears brimming in my eyes so I keep my head down. I wish my father would wake up and tell me what to do here. Even in the early days of our lessons poisons and healing spells were not my forte. In spite of my wishing though his eyes stay shut. It's all up to me and this time I can't fail. Not with knowing what will happen if I do. "Please wake up" I whisper to him.

He doesn't answer. He just stays still. The only sign of movement his ragged breathing and that goddamn weeping wound. Hook may have been the one to stab him but I know where that poison came from. Cora.

A squeeze at my shoulder distracts me and I raise my head to see Miss Swan giving me a sad look, "You'll fix him"

"How can you be so sure?" I ask quietly. I don't even know what poison it is.

"Regina you never give up. Even if you're losing you still keep trying to find a way to win"

"That doesn't mean I succeed Miss Swan and this time if I fail he'll d-die" my voice breaks on the last word and she nods slowly in understanding, "We won't let that happen Regina. He'll be okay"

I'm about to argue when Henry comes back in, "Emma you need to hear this message" he says urgently. She frowns as she takes the phone before shooting me a worried glance, "Regina you aren't aware of some dagger that holds all his power are you?"

"I know of it. Why?"

"Your mom has it"

I stand up alarmed, "What?" _No. _This can't be happening. I dread to think what my mother will do with his power. Knowing her it won't be good for anyone, least of all my family.

"She found it and took it before my parents could find it"

"What does that mean?" Henry asks noticing my fearful expression. "It means that she can control his powers" I explain. His face immediately falls into one of pensive worry, "We have to save him and get it back. Mom she'll kill him!" he says insistently.

"Or use it to kill us" Emma adds before muttering "Sorry" at both of our worried expressions. Henry looks at me with fear dancing in his eyes, I remember the look from when he used to run to me after a nightmare, "Mom would she really kill us?" he asks quietly. I could tell him that everything will be alright but he's smart enough to know that would be a lie, "I think she would Henry but I won't let that happen Henry"

"Promise?"

"I promise" I reply quickly pulling him into a comforting embrace as Neal comes in, "I locked Hook up in the basement so he won't be a problem. What's going on?" he asks noticing Henry in my arms and Emma's concerned face.

"We have another problem" she explains.

* * *

I don't know how he did it but I'll admit I was impressed by how quickly Neal Cassidy was able to find us transport back to Storybrooke. Mercifully the car ride to the harbour where Hook has stowed away the Jolly Roger was a smooth one. After a few furtive glances to check for nosy onlookers Emma and Neal carried Rumple on to the boat quickly followed by myself and Henry.

"Hey kid want to learn how to sail a boat?" Neal asks. Henry's face lights up in excitement at the prospect and he runs from me to spend some time with his new-found father. Emma frowns from next to me, "I guess we'll go downstairs then" she mutters clearly unused to his rejection. Unlike myself she is not used to being brushed off in favour of another parent. I follow her down the creaky steps and to where my father is resting, "He'll forgive you" I say finally as she sits on an old bunk with a deflated expression.

"How can you be so sure?"

"He forgave me for lying to him and my lie was far worse than yours Miss Swan. Henry is a good kid with a very forgiving heart. He loves you. That's what matters"

She smiles at me, "Thanks Regina. I think I know that. I never expected to see Neal again ya know"

"I'll admit that was a bit of a surprise Miss Swan for all of us"

"True, I slept with the son of Rumplestiltskin, the brother of the evil queen"

"It's quite the family tree isn't it?"

"You're Henry's aunt and his mother?" she asks confusedly.

I shake my head, "I may be his aunt by blood Emma but I'm his mother. I raised him and looked after him as my son. I will never see him as my nephew because he's my son"

She nods in understanding, "Makes sense I guess. What's going to happen when we get to Storybrooke?"

I shrug, "I wish I knew Miss Swan"

"I'm sorry about Hook"

"There wasn't much you could have done Emma. Thank you though"

She looks over to where Rumple lies on the bed and I follow her gaze to see him slowly waking up, "Dad?" I ask quietly. "I'll give you guys some time" Emma says before exiting the room swiftly. I nod in gratitude before moving to sit beside my father.

"Regina" he says weakly.

"Hi Dad. How are you feeling?"

"About as well as I can with poison running through my system" he mutters dryly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. We need to save you"

"You might not be able to"

"No!" I say insistently, "Dad you promised. You can't leave me" I can feel tears sliding down my cheeks now. He lifts his hand and grabs my own. "I'm so sorry Regina"

"No. Please just tell me how to fix this"

"We need an antidote. The only person who'll have it is your mother and I think we both know she won't hand it over"

"We'll make her. Once we get your dagger back we can find a way"

"Your mother has my dagger?"

I nod, "Yes"

He sighs wincing in agony before giving me a serious look, "Regina if Cora has that dagger we won't have time to get that antidote"

"I can't believe that Dad. I need you to get better"

"A battle is coming Regina and I can't promise you I'll be there to see how it ends. I need to say something to you though and I need you to listen, can you do that for me?"

I nod through a gulp. I'm not ready for a goodbye. I thought we would have a lot more time before this moment. There's still so much between us we need to talk about and to work on. I've known the truth for a year and in all that time we've only had a handful of happy peaceful family moments. I don't want that to be all I have. This can't be it.

"Regina I wish we had had more time together. I wasted so much of it waiting to tell you and trying to think of the right way to reveal the truth. You found out by accident in the end. One of my biggest regrets is not telling you sooner. There was a prophesy about the curse and how it was meant to break and I chose to follow it. That choice gave you Henry and it gave me the freedom to find Bae but the price we both paid was time and for that I am so very sorry. I robbed us both of time where we could have talked and where I could have been a better father to you. You shouldn't have paid the price for my decisions. I know we might not have much time left but the main thing I want you to know is that I love you and no matter what mistakes we both made in the past I am so glad you are my daughter. I am very proud of you. You gave up magic and you've been good for Henry. Don't let that slip. I only wish I had your strength, that I could have done the same for you and Bae. Just please promise me that if I don't make it you won't let yourself fall back into darkness. You deserve love and happiness and I hope you find it" he finishes with a spluttering cough. Careful of his wound I lean over to hug him as tears stream down my face, "Daddy I love you" is all I can say in response. "I know" he replies, "I know"

"I wish I could help. I don't want to say goodbye"

"I don't either Regina"

I lean up from the hug slightly sniffling as I do so I can avoid putting pressure on his chest. My hand remains clasped in his own, "Just please hold on" I ask quietly.

"As long as I can" he promises.

* * *

Upon our arrival in Storybrooke Emma and I send Henry into Ruby's care. Luckily for once he doesn't argue. I can only hope he actually stays with her, I don't want him to see whatever might happen when my mother finds us. My father is certain it will be today and saw no point in delaying the inevitable. Personally I wish we could delay it. More time would have meant we could have found an antidote. It also would have meant I wouldn't have to face my mother again.

We put Rumple down on the same cot Charming slept in only a month or so before. If only this poison had as clear a cure. We busy herself preparing for the battle that is soon to come, Charming and Neal grab swords whilst Emma places a protection spell on the place. As she and Neal talk about something or other that is no concern of mine, Charming approaches me. "Can we talk?"

I nod trying my best not to make a comment about his impeccable timing. "Can you heal your arm?" he asks.

"I could but I promised Henry I would only use magic for good"

"I think this counts Regina"

I frown. He probably wouldn't mind that's true. "It can heal on its own"

"It could but we don't have time for that"

I sigh knowing he's right before waving my hand over my arm in the form of a healing spell. I pull the sling off and wriggle the arm to test if it worked. Once that's done I turn to him, "Is that all?"

"Not quite, I have a plan I want to run by you"

* * *

It doesn't take long for my mother to appear. The shop shakes as dark magic begins to penetrate the protection spell, "Is that?" Emma begins before being cut off my nod, "Yes that would be my mother"

We brace ourselves, the others brandishing swords as I prepare myself. I'm about to put my trust in the hands of Charming in the slim hopes that his plan might work. I have my doubts about it but it's worth a shot. I cast a quick glance through to the back room where I know my father is still resting. The door flies open and my mother appears, dagger in hand. "Hm a royal guard. How sweet. How pointless" she adds with a smirk.

Charming lifts his sword, "Hand over the dagger" he demands. She laughs before flinging him out of the store "You think it's that easy?" she asks him with a high laugh before slamming the door shut. "Regina" she says turning to me and approaching cupping my chin in her hand, "Are you still working with them?"

I swallow down my nerves about facing her once more and put on my best confident queen face, "I'm not working with you mother"

Her face hardens to steel, "So you're against me. So be it" she says coldly before throwing me into a counter. Neal runs over to help me up, "You okay?" he asks quickly. I nod before he mouths "I'm sorry" letting me know he's going to follow through with Charming's plan regardless of my mother's action.

"Hey!" he yells directing my mother's attention. Emma takes the opportunity to shove her, the dagger sliding from her hands. Neal acts fast raising his sword to my chin, "Choose wisely" he says looking pointedly at the dagger. We hold our breaths for a second. My head tells me what her choice will be but a small corner of my heart still yearns for her to pick me.

She doesn't.

She raises her hand and the dagger flies through the air and into her palm. "What use do I have for a weak daughter who works against me?" she asks with a slight hint of bitterness.

As she steps forward Emma mouths "Fall back". Neal nods before pushing me into my mother sending her crashing to the floor. Once she's down I transport myself into the back room appearing in a plume of purple smoke as Emma quickly uses the chalk to safeguard the room.

Neal helps me up off the floor, "Sorry about that" he says looking me up and down for injuries. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine" I reply. Whilst his concern is touching his actions were necessary in shielding our father from my mother's wrath.

We both walk over to our father's bed. He's clearly growing weaker. I step back as he asks Emma for a phone. We all wait and listen as he makes his goodbyes to Belle. His voice breaks several times as he reminds her of how good a person she is and that she was the only one to see good in an ugly man. Once he finishes he beckons Neal over, "Son there's a lot I could say to you but none of it makes up for what I did. I can't apologise enough for letting you fall through that portal and I know forgiveness may be too much to ask but just know that I do love you and I only wish we could have had more time to get to know each other as a family"

"I love you too papa" he replies clasping our father's hand tightly. "I need you to promise me something" Rumple says. "What?" Neal asks. "Keep an eye on your sister for me and make sure you cherish the time with your son"

Neal offers him a watery smile as I realise the other reason why he was so desperate to go find his son. He didn't want me to be alone. "I will" he says extending a hand out to me. I take it, the two of us leaning over the small bed. "Thank you" I say to my father before kissing him on the forehead. He smiles before nodding in understanding.

The moment is quickly shattered by the sound of the barrier disappearing, "I'd get out of the way if I were you" my mother sneers from behind us.

"I can't let you do this mother" I say defiantly standing in front of him as Neal and Emma raise their swords.

"Regina dear I wish you would stop this foolishness. Do you really want to sacrifice yourself for a man who's about to die anyway?"

"Regina" I hear my father whisper, "Get out of her way"

I shake my head at him, "You're not killing him" I say to my mother. She stalks across the room the dagger shining in her hand. "Who's going to stop me? You?" she asks with a high laugh before throwing me across the room and into Neal and Emma.

I stand up first about to walk over to her when strong arms suddenly catch around my waist. "Let go of me!" I shout thrashing against Neal.

"She'll kill you" he hisses in my ear. "He won't want that"

"You think he'd want to be killed by my mother?" I whisper back continuing to struggle against his hold.

"A vision told me about you" we all turn at Rumple's voice. "It didn't tell me everything though" she smirks. "Just answer me one question, did you ever love me?"

"Oh Rumple" my mother says stroking his cheek with her finger, "Why do you think I had to rip my own heart out? You're the only person I ever truly loved" those words still my movements. She never loved me I think angrily. She stands slowly, "Goodbye Rumple" she says and I elbow Neal sharply. In shock he relinquishes his hold and I run across the room ignoring his grunt of "Regina!" I shove my mother out of the way of my father, "NO!" I shout, "You're not killing him!"

The glare she shoots me sends ice shivering down my spine and I shudder at the venomous look on her face. She steps towards me thunder building in those dark eyes, "You have got in my way for the last time Regina" she mutters before raising the dagger again. Time stands still for the next few moments. She's going to kill me I think in shock. I look quickly to my frightened father and see the stunned faces of Emma and Neal as she vanishes them away. I've seen this look in her eyes only once before.

_"You foolish girl!" her voice bellows across the now empty hall. _

_"Cora calm down" my father pleads. She shoots him a glare, "She could have ruined everything!" she snarls. _

_"It was only one ball Cora. She meant no harm" he argues. _

_"Will you shut up you simpering fool?!" she says icily before using her magic to push him out of the room. I shiver in fear as she turns back round to face me. She lifts me up in the air, her hand around my throat. "You ridiculous child!"_

_"Mama I'm sorry. Please stop!" I cry helplessly kicking my feet in the air. _

_Her eyes are cold and hollow, "You're meant to be queen one day and you can't even carry a jug of wine?!"_

_"Mommy please it was an accident!" I sob. I didn't mean it but the jug was so heavy. I tripped and it crashed to the floor but not before some of the liquid splashed onto the robes of the visiting lady. At my apologetic expression the lady told me it was nothing but I could see the judgemental look in her eyes and the growing angry disdain building in my mother's harsh gaze and I knew I was in trouble. _

_"An accident?! Useless girl!" she yells tightening her grip. It's getting harder to breathe. I scramble with my hands to loosen her owns and she glares harder, "You dare hit at your mother?!" she asks cruelly. I whimper letting my hands fall from her grasp. I gasp tiredly for breath feeling the room start to spin. _

_"Cora!" comes the shout from the hall and I fall to the floor just seeing my father's terrified expression as my eyes close. _

I was twelve that first time she tried to kill me. After that I did my best to obey her rules and just stay in line but I can't anymore. Following her plans would mean sacrificing the people I love and I cannot allow that.

My mother steps towards me the dagger glinting threateningly in the glare of the shop lights. "You could have been so much more Regina" she says sadly, "Such a pity" she adds before she raises the knife.

My heart thumps loudly in my chest as I think of Henry and my father. I wish it didn't have to come to this. The dagger draws dangerously close to my chest. I take a deep breath knowing that soon this will be the end.

Until it doesn't come.

The dagger drops to the floor.

My mother gasps clutching her chest as Snow plunges a heart back into her chest.

"Regina" I hear breathed in a happy voice. I turn and see my mother smiling at me. I freeze, I've never seen her look at me like that. "M-mother?" I ask daring to grin not noticing my father looking down to his chest in shock before turning to face Snow.

"Regina" she repeats laughing happily before raising her hand to caress my cheek. I blink in surprise at the movement.

"Oh" she gasps suddenly clutching her chest again before grimacing in pain, "Mother?" I ask fearfully.

She begins to collapse and I catch her, "This would have been enough" she croaks, "You would have been enough" and then nothing.

I look up and see my father now standing above me, "What's going on?" I ask feeling tears beginning to brim in my eyes once more. "Regina" he says softly and I turn back to my mother, "Don't leave me please" I beg. For a few moments she loved me. I had a mother and now she's going. No. That's not fair. "Fix this!" I sob turning to my father.

"Regina I can't" he says placing his hand on my shoulder as I cradle my mother in my arms. "Your mother did you no favours" he adds.

"Shut up!" I shout. I just lost her. Does he think hearing how little she cared about me helps? "You did this, with some spell" I cry.

He frowns, "No I didn't"

I turn and see Snow standing there, guilt all over her face, "What did you do?" I ask glaring up at her. She gulps, "I saved your father" she says before stepping forward. I sniff back my tears. She did. She saved him. But she also killed my mother. I don't know what to feel. My Dad is alive. But my mother is dead. I got to have a mother for less than a minute and then Snow took her. She killed my mother. I sob again. I can feel them coming closer to try and comfort me. No. I can't be here right now. It's too much. I don't know what I'll do to them if they come too close. On one hand I'm happy because my father is alive but on the other I feel sick and angry. My mother died and I'm happy. I shake my head to try and get her voice whispering "You would have been enough" out of my mind but it doesn't work. I sniff back more tears as I use my magic to transport out of that shop room.

* * *

I reach out for my daughter as purple smoke consumes her and Cora. She disappears right before my eyes. I need to find her. I take in a deep breath staring at the dagger in the floor. How fast things can change. _She could have died_ I think knowing Regina was about to sacrifice herself for me. I need to find her. I know she'll be angry but I have to help her. She shouldn't be alone right now.

I'm about to leave as Snow asks "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" I reply tersely. Now is not the time for needless chit-chat not when my daughter needs someone.

"Are you sure?"

I glare losing my patience with her, "I am fine. My daughter however just witnessed her father nearly dying, narrowly missed being stabbed by her own mother before watching said mother die! So will you get out of my way and let me go find her"

"I thought you'd be glad" Snow mutters.

"Am I grateful you saved my life? Yes. But my daughter is suffering because of that and for that I am angry at you. How did you do it anyway?"

"When I handed you that blanket I found the candle"

I give her a knowing look, "Of course the candle. I assume you do remember that all magic comes with a price dearie? For your sake it better not be my daughter who pays it" I add with a snarl before transporting out of the shop unwilling to face them much longer.

I reappear in front of the crypt allowing my magic to follow Regina's own. The tomb guarding the entrance remains pushed open and I descend the steps slowly. I walk into the crypt and see Cora's body lying on a stone slab. No Regina. I frown before my ears catch the sound of sobbing. My heart breaks a little in my chest and I follow the mournful noise.

I step through to a back room to meet a scene of carnage. Chests have been tipped over and Cora's possessions are strewn all over the floor. Clearly Regina took out her frustration on her mother's things. What sends the pain shooting through my heart is my daughter collapsed cross-legged on the floor sobbing while holding a torn piece of fabric.

I kneel down slowly next to her, "Regina?" I ask quietly not willing to startle her. She looks up at me with reddened cheeks and tears streaming down her face. Her lower lip quivers as her face continues to remain contorted in pain. She holds up the blue dress in her hands, "Daddy I ripped it" she sobs brokenly.

I gather her in my arms unsure of what to do or say here. I can't make this better. "We'll fix it" I whisper pointing to the dress as a slow tear snakes down my own cheek as she continues to wail and cry in my arms.

_AN 2: I have that end scene planned out in my head since I started this fic. May have broken my own feels though. Next chapter should be next week, I need to finish thinking it out in my mind first. Always happy to hear what you think. Thanks for reading :)_


	12. Chapter 12

_My apologies for the wait. Life has been a bit hectic. I am back at uni now but I shall do my best to update weekly. Thank you to the people who are still reading and following this story. This chapter is a bit shorter but I felt it ended better where it ends then had I gone into what will now be the next chapter. My apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :) _

I use magic to transport us out of the crypt. I know from the sobs wracking their way through Regina's frame as she continues to cling to the torn dress that walking is not a viable option right now. I wish I knew what to say to help, to make this even a little better but as I watch her curl up on my couch with that blue fabric clutched in her hands like a security blankets I get the feeling that nothing I could say could help. All I can do is be here and try. Watching your child in pain and knowing that you can't soothe it creates a helplessness that cannot be described. _You're her father, do something_ I think but what? What can I do to ease her pain? I cannot undo Snow's actions. I can't and certainly wouldn't bring Cora back. I can't pretend that I would trade my life for Cora's because I wouldn't and both I and Regina know that.

It's a cruel paradox for her, be happy that I'm alive but sad because it killed her mother. _She never wins _I think bitterly. In order for one of her parents to live the other had to die. I shake my head knowing she's already lost so much before this. Even the strongest hearts can break and I can only hope that I am enough to stop hers from crumbling completely. I wonder if I can be but I don't have a choice. I have to be enough. _You would have been enough_. Cora's last words echo through my mind but they only anger me further. _Our daughter was enough Cora, you should have seen that_.

I kneel down next to Regina. I don't know what she needs right now. I don't know what to do for either of my children and that is my own fault. I made the wrong decisions and now due to that I am lost when it comes to being their father. All I can do is be here and hope that I don't screw this up.

"Regina" I say softly so as not to startle her. Tear glazed eyes stare up at me but she doesn't respond. She looks down before staring intently at her jacket and shaking her head before mumbling "N-no"

"Regina" I repeat worriedly placing my hand on her shoulder. This time she looks at me frantically, "I need to change" she rushes the words out before jabbing at a spot on her sleeve. I frown in confusion before looking closer at the tiny red dot on the jacket that has caused such panic, "Okay" I say stilling her hand, "It's okay. You have clothes upstairs. Go change"

She doesn't move though and instead runs her thumb over the dress again. I move to take it and fear flashes across her eyes, "I'll look after it" I say reassuringly. She chews down on her lip so hard I can see tiny lines of red forming, "Please don't lose it" she whispers. My heart aches painfully in my chest at how young and lost she sounds when she says those four words. "I won't" I promise trying to keep the tears out of my own voice. She needs me to be strong right now. I won't let myself fall apart not when she needs someone to hold on to. She places it very slowly in my hands before looking at it for a few more seconds. I hold it as carefully as I can knowing she needs to trust that I can take care of it while she's gone even if it is just a dress. We both know it's more than that. This is all she has left of her mother, a mother she never got to have because of a decision made in the name of power. I wonder how many more of those decisions my daughter will pay the price for.

I wait for Regina to get up and leave before I let a few tears fall. I woke up this morning thinking I was going to die. I said my goodbyes. I watched my daughter willingly stand before a mother who would have killed her. Gods we both could have ended up dead. Snow saved us both. I know that. I know Regina knows that. It doesn't make the aftermath any easier. Regina's mother is still dead. A woman I loved a long time ago. A woman neither one of us really got a chance to know and love. And now never will.

I sigh looking at the dress in my hands. She wore it when Regina banished her. The last time I saw her in it she was pinning our daughter to a tree with vines and crushing her. Most of my memories of her are of pain, misery and regret. I think back to before she ripped her heart out. The few good memories I have where we joked and loved. Where we could have run away together and everything would have been different. She broke my heart that night under that tree. I refused to trust or love again until Belle. I don't have her either. My only solace is a scattered handful of happy memories. Regina doesn't even have that to fall back on I think sadly.

A figure slumping onto the couch pulls me from my thoughts. My heart pangs again as she curls up into herself, tears still rolling down her cheeks. I move closer towards her before slipping the dress between her hands again. "Thanks" she mumbles resting her head on her knees.

"Come here" I say softly holding out my arms to her. She looks at me before slowly scooting forward and into the offered embrace. "I nearly lost you again" I whisper. I could never had had the chance to hug her again, to talk to her, to have dinner with her and Bae. Either way without Snow neither of us would be here. Therein lies the mind-splitting conflict, be grateful that Cora is gone or angry over my daughter's sorrow?

"She was going to kill me" she sobs, "She was going to kill you"

"I know" I reply. "I know you were trying to save me from her but please never do something like that again. I can't lose you Regina. I can't even bear the thought of it"

She sniffles, "I won't. I promise. I just didn't want to lose you either"

"I know"

"I feel like a bad daughter" she admits quietly. I stay silent letting her talk this out, "I'm happy because you're alive but she was my mother and she's dead so it must make me a bad person to be happy about that right?" she asks.

"No" I answer, "You are not a bad daughter. You are the best daughter because in spite of all the agony we both caused you, you still love Cora and I with all your heart. That doesn't make you a bad person. You're allowed to be glad I'm alive and upset that your mother is not. Feeling both does not make you a bad daughter to either one of us. It means that you love us both"

She nods thinking it over before blinking back a few more tears, "Do you think she could have loved me?"

"What?" I ask mildly taken aback by the sadly uttered question.

"She never loved me. She didn't have a heart. What if she could never have loved me at all?"

"Regina" I begin steadily before pulling her closer into my arms, "I know it's difficult to believe this right now but your mother most definitely could have love you. How could she not have done? I knew Cora with and without her heart and the moment she had her heart and saw you was the happiest I've ever seen her. It may not have been for very long but in those few moments your mother loved you so very much. You are enough Regina. You are"

_Always happy to hear what you think. Thanks for reading :)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Hi all, another chapter. Again my apologies that this has taken so long. I've just been so busy, it's been hard to find times to write. Thank you to the people still sticking with this story. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like :)_

Days pass in a blur. Nothing changes. Belle still has no memory. Bae won't speak to me. Regina alternates between crying and sleeping. Henry doesn't visit. No-one does.

Life goes on as it had done before. As of Cora had never come to town. As if my daughter were not drowning in her despair. No-one else seems to care. On the occasion I went out I heard what they were all worried about. The townspeople fawning over Snow White and wondering how she was coping with all this. Of course their concern is for their hero of the tale, their darling Snow White. The pain of the villains on the other hand is glossed over. No-one seems to care that in this tale my daughter was not a villain. She was just Regina, trying to save her father and losing her mother. And yet the only mention I hear of her is whether or not she is out for revenge and foolish theories about what she'll do to Snow White.

I doubt they'd believe the truth. But then they have not been there to witness what I have. They haven't woken up each morning to see Regina still curled up on my sofa crying into a blue dress. They aren't the ones trying to force her to eat, to move, to do anything. They aren't her father waiting for her to come back.

I sigh after another fruitless visit to the hospital to see Belle. She'll accept my visits but she still doesn't remember anything. I wonder what will happen to her when they let her leave the hospital, I wonder if they'd let her stay here with me. I wonder if she'd want to.

"Mr Gold?" I turn towards the sound of a small voice momentarily startled by the fact that someone has come to visit my house. "Henry?" I ask.

He walks up the driveway with a slump, "Is my Mom here?" he asks chewing his lip.

"Yes she is"

He frowns, "Oh I rang the bell, no-one answered. Is she okay?" I pause before answering. Do I lie here? Tell him that she's fine. I doubt he'd believe that one, he's a smart kid. I wonder how much Emma and her parents have told him. "She lost her mother Henry."

"But Cora was evil right? And it saved you so…" he trails off clearly unhappy with his own response. I kneel down as best I can in front of him, "Henry, Cora was evil and she caused your Mom a lot of pain but she was still her mother. And your Mom loved her."

"Even though she hurt her?" he asks curiously.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because your mother has a great capacity for love. A strong heart. And so she loved her mother even when Cora couldn't love her back."

"Is that why she's so upset?"

"That and your mother never really knew Cora's love. She had it for a few moments and that was all Henry. She never got the chance to know what it was like to have a loving mother and that is very painful to deal with. Do you understand that?"

He nods slowly, tears glimmering in his eyes, "Can I see her?"

I pause again not knowing if Regina would want Henry to see her in such a fragile state but then maybe his presence will help. Maybe knowing someone, other than just me, cares will help her recover. I nod reluctantly before unlocking the front door.

"Wait here" I say to Henry as we walk in before I enter the living room. I kneel down beside my daughter who's still curled up under a blanket like I left her this morning. "Regina" I say softly placing my hand on her shoulder. She doesn't respond, not verbally, but at the very least she looks at me. "Henry's here" I add glad to see a spark flare up in her eye. She sits up slowly, a look of hopeful disbelief on her face, "Henry's here?" she asks.

"He wants to see you" I say brushing some hair out of her face. Days on the sofa have left her looking dishevelled but somehow I doubt she cares right now. She raises her hand up trying to wipe away the remnants of tears with a heavy sniff. "Where is he?"

"Henry!" I call and he comes running in with all the enthusiasm of youth. He nearly stumbles as he skids to a stop upon seeing his mother. I realise he's probably never seen his mother look less put together. "Mom?" he asks worriedly.

She clears her throat before cautiously opening up her arms to him. He walks over slowly before sliding into the hug. She smiles resting her head on his for a moment, "Dad?" she asks looking up at me. I nod, "Would you like me to give you a few moments?" She nods, "Yes please" I lean over and ruffle her hair taking in her contented smile at seeing her son again. I exit the room shooting one last glance at my daughter and grandson. Clearly his presence has boosted her spirits, I should have known it would really. Who better to give you hope than your child?

* * *

"If you want to talk about your Mom you can" Henry mumbles before leaning back from his hug. I chew on my bottom lip glad he hasn't left my arms. He looks at me worriedly and I know why. I look a mess. The past few days have passed horrifically slowly, each painful moment worse than the one before. I tried to pull out of it, I did but it was like running through sludge. I could see my father was worried and I tried to break out to be fine but then a little voice in my head would remind me that he was alive and my mother was not. Then it hurt all over again.

Seeing Henry though reminded me why I have to be strong. My son needs me. He has Emma and her parents but I'm still his mother as well and I can't do that if I let myself fall apart. I sniffle as Henry continues to eye me apprehensively, "If you don't want to…" he mumbles trailing off.

I clear my throat before hastily trying to tidy my hair, "No we can. What would you like to know?"

"Did you love her?" he asks cautiously.

I swallow down the lump that grows in my throat. In spite of what my mother did to me I always loved her. I wanted her to love me. But she wasn't capable, not until the end. Then it was too late. All my childhood I wished she could have changed and been the mother I dreamed of but I still loved her. That didn't help. Being hurt by her was one thing. Knowing she didn't care was worse. "I loved her"

"Even though she hurt you?"

"She was still my mother Henry. I loved her even if she couldn't love me. I wanted her to love me but she c-couldn't" my voice trembles slightly over the last word and I can't help the tears that begin to fall. _Why couldn't she just have put her heart back in?_ If she had we could all have lived together. Instead she lied. And we all suffered for it.

I feel arms wrap around my neck pulling me from the pangs of resentment that are mingling with the grief. They hurt in their own way. They hurt because the anger mixes in with the sorrow and I can do nothing about it. I can't confront her. I can't know why I wasn't enough. I'm not sure I want to.

"Mom come back" he says tugging on her sleeve like he used to when he was young and she would get lost in her thoughts.

"Sorry Henry. I'm right here" I reply.

"Stay here Mom"

"I'll try"

"Good"

"Can we not talk about my mother anymore today Henry? I'll tell you more one day. Just not today"

He nods slowly, "Okay Mom, when you're ready"

I wipe away the tears that formed before turning back to my son, "How have you been Henry?"

He shrugs, "Okay I guess. Snow sleeps a lot. David is trying to help her but I don't think he can. Emma's lying to me about something. Well something else." He adds that last part bitterly, "I've been spending time with my Dad"

"Oh?" I ask. Henry may be related to Snow and her husband but that doesn't mean I'm about to show overwhelming amounts of concern for their problems right now. Bad blood aside she still killed my mother and that wound is just too fresh for me to worry about Snow White struggling with her guilt.

"Yeah his fiancée is coming to town today. I'm supposed to meet them for lunch" he admits with a small shrug.

I frown, "Henry, does Emma know you're here?"

He looks away. "Henry" I repeat.

"Fine I didn't tell her. I didn't want her to say I couldn't come"

"Why would they say that? You're allowed to want to see me Henry. I'm your mother"

"That's what I said but they're worried you're going to do something to hurt Snow because of your Mom"

I frown. They really think that? Of course, why wouldn't they assume that I'm sitting around plotting revenge? Everyone worries about Snow White and how she's coping with committing a murder but no-one thinks I'm grieving for my mother? Idiots. It's annoying enough that they think that but to try and spread that attitude to Henry? That is unfair to him. What on earth makes them think it's alright to do that to him? He knows I wouldn't hurt him and they shouldn't say such things in front of him.

"Henry." I say wanting to reassure him, "I would never hurt you, you know that right?"

"I know Mom. You've changed"

I smile happy he still believes in me, "I have and they're your family which means in spite of our bad history I wouldn't hurt them either. I know you would never forgive me and that doing so would hurt you. I don't want to hurt you Henry. I want you to be happy. If you want to see me you don't have to hide it, it will only make them worry. Trust me I know how scary not knowing where you are is. Tell Emma you want to see me. If she's still worried about it tell her to talk to me but no more sneaking around Henry. Promise me"

He smiles, "I promise Mom." He pauses, "I should call Emma shouldn't I?"

"I would dear before she and your grandfather storm this house with their swords"

He laughs, "Okay Mom. Is it okay if I tell her to come over then you can talk to her as well"

I groan internally thinking of my appearance before nodding, "Fine, let me just make myself presentable". He nods slowly dialling his phone as I trudge up the stairs. I run my fingers through my hair horrified by the greasy grime that has built up over four days. Shower. Definitely a shower first. Then what is sure to be a fun lunch.

* * *

I busy myself preparing lunch whilst Regina and Henry talk. I pause hopefully when I hear footsteps moving up the stairs. That's a good sign. Well I wish it is. Henry comes out into the kitchen with a sheepish expression on his face as he hangs up the phone.

"Everything alright Henry?" I ask buttering the bread.

"I lied to Emma. Told her I was meeting Dad for lunch. Mom made me call her" he says with a sigh, "She's coming over. Can you make her some lunch too?"

"Miss Swan is staying then?"

"Well she has to make sure we aren't mixing potions in our family cauldron" I turn at the unexpected droll reply to my question. She's up. Sorrow still tinges the corner of her eyes but she's awake and freshly showered rather than remaining on that damn couch. After the past few days I will take any sign of progress.

"They still believe you're plotting vengeance dearie?" I ask putting a sandwich out in front of her. After days of barely eating the food I set down she needs to eat. She nods, "Yes, well why wouldn't they?" she mutters sadly.

Henry frowns before sitting down next to her, "You're not evil anymore Mom. One day they'll see it too"

She smiles, a small one but happy nonetheless, "I hope so Henry"

The doorbell rings. Regina moves to answer before I stop her, "Eat your sandwich. I'll get it" she rolls her eyes but begins to eat regardless.

"Miss Swan please do come in" I say upon opening the door, "Oh and your father is here too. Happy days. Will you be joining us for lunch as well?"

He scoffs, "What are we having, spell soup?"

"Sorry dearie I'm out of alphabetti spaghetti today. You'll have to make do with a sandwich"

"Save it Gold" Emma snaps, "I'm just here to get Henry and go"

"Well you can go. After lunch" I add before gesturing through to the kitchen. She sighs before stomping through to the kitchen, her father hot on her heels.

"Henry. I thought you were meant to be with your father"

"Yeah well I wanted to see my Mom" he says with a shrug.

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Like you'd have let me come here" he mutters bitterly.

"Henry, you still should have told her" Regina says softly. "I'm sure she would have understood"

"She wouldn't have!" he snaps sitting up and looking between his mothers.

"I would have done had you told me Henry" Emma replies defending herself.

"No you wouldn't. I heard what you and Grandpa were talking about this morning. You think she's going to kill Grandma"

"Well that isn't unreasonable Henry. There is a history" Charming remarks dryly while glaring at Regina. I step between him and her returning his glare with one of my own.

"Rest assured Charming I have no plans on harming your wife anytime soon."

"Really?" Emma asks. "After what happened?" she gives Regina a disbelieving look.

My daughter scowls before answering, "Regardless of what you may think dear I love Henry and I wouldn't hurt his family."

Emma frowns eying Regina carefully, "How can I trust that?"

"If I wanted revenge dear do you think we'd be sitting here eating sandwiches?"

She smirks in response, "Fair enough. Henry can see you if he wants it but on a proper schedule. That way he doesn't have to lie and sneak around. You know your father waited for you?"

Henry frowns sheepishly but doesn't answer instead focusing on the leftover bits of crust on his plate. Emma sighs at his silence, "Kid you can't just lie to us about where you're going to be"

"You lie to me" he says defensively.

"I-" Emma stutters before Regina cuts in, "That doesn't make lying alright Henry. Emma and I lied to you and we shouldn't have done. If you can Henry then you should be honest. You owe Emma and your father an apology"

"Fine" he mutters before looking at Emma, "Sorry but you're still lying to me about something"

She frowns guiltily, "You're right kid. I'm sorry. I think there's something I should tell you. All of you" she adds looking from me to Regina.

Charming's expression turns to one of doubt and fear, "Emma are you sure that's such a wise idea?"

"David they should know"

"Know what?" Henry asks curiously.

"About the beans"

_I shall try and update as soon as possible. I'm going to try and wrap this up in 5 or 6 chapters. There was going to be more but I've decided to end it at an earlier point just purely because I have three stories going at the moment and I already have so much uni work and I'd rather not drag this out and not be able to give it the attention and time I'd like to so I've reworked how this is all going to end. Hopefully it won't disappoint but I figured I'd give you all a heads up that we approaching the end. I'm always happy to hear what you think. Thank you very much for reading :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_AN: Again sorry for the delay in updating. Uni has been keeping me quite busy. I'm thinking there might be two/three chapters left of this. Not sure exactly how I'm going to split things up yet. Thank you to those still reading this. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :)_

"What beans?" all three of us ask in response as Charming shoots his daughter a disapproving stare. She frowns before turning to him, "What you and Snow try to emotionally blackmail into going to the Enchanted Forest and now I'm supposed to keep it a secret?"

"We weren't emotionally blackmailing you"

"Really? All the let's return to our home. Let's fix my black heart by fixing the land. We can all be a family. What do you call that?"

He frowns guiltily. "We just want to see you if you would come back"

"No you decided you two wanted to go back and trying to make me go back as well but you know what I have Henry to consider. He has Regina and Neal and I bet neither of them want to go back"

"So? He's your son"

At that Regina's eyes light up with anger. She opens her mouth to retort but Emma beats her to it, "He isn't just my son David. He's Regina's and he's Neal's as well."

"Thank you Emma" Regina replies looking genuinely touched that the blonde sees her as Henry's mom. Henry smiles at my daughter as well before turning to Emma, "How long have you been growing beans?"

"Apparently they started while we were in New York kid"

"And we can go to that land? Have adventures and stuff?" Henry asks excitedly. From the corner of my eye I see Regina chew her lip worriedly. Henry at eleven is all caught up in the fun side of the Enchanted Forest, the thrills of being a prince and notions of horse-riding and being a knight filling his head. He doesn't know the land. He doesn't understand its class prejudice, its poverty or its many dangers.

"Kid it's not what it's cracked up to be" Emma replies. Her own father may be thinking of his own desire to go back to that land but it's clear to me that Miss Swan has no intention of returning to the forest.

"She's right Henry. Being a prince means you'll be in a lot of danger"

"You guys will protect me though right?" he asks worriedly.

"They might not be able to Henry" I warn, "There are ogres. There are other rulers who might try and kill you or kidnap you. There are a lot of unknown dangers in that world Henry."

"Oh"

"Not to mention no internet, no plumbing, no healthcare or education system" Emma adds.

"But we'd be home" Charming says insistently.

"It's not my home David and I'd rather raise Henry here than there any day of the week"

"I know David that my opinion means very little to you but I too feel Henry would be safer and happier here"

"Really Mom?" Henry asks.

"Yes dear, my father is right. That land has a great deal of problems. Your book shows the happy endings right?"

He nods. "Yeah"

"But it doesn't show you everything in between and after that Henry. Trust me this land has much greater possibility for happiness than that one"

"Really?"

Regina looks to me before looking back at her son, "I've been to several lands Henry and this is the only one I've been truly happy in"

"Oh"

"And what about everyone else?" Charming asks.

"Yes dear what about them?" Regina parrots back, "Have you asked if they wish to return to that land or have you simply made an assumption about what is best again?" she adds the last part bitterly and he looks away guiltily.

"It's home" he repeats, "We thought people would –"

"But did you ask them?" Regina asks.

"Well no"

"You can't do that Charming. It's exactly what I did. I brought you all over to this land for my own desires. Don't do the same because those who don't want to be here will resent you for it. Give them a choice"

The shepherd folds his arms across his chest as he studies my daughter. There was no trickery in her statement just a simple request that for once everyone gets a choice. I know in my time I certainly have stripped that away from people including my daughter by backing them into corners and deals to achieve my own ends. Now though I find I must agree with Regina, I doubt either of my children will wish to return to a land that brought them misery and pain especially not Bae given the lengths he went to in order to leave. Forcing them to go back would only cause more upset and right now above all else for my family right now I would like them to have happiness.

"What would you suggest?" Charming finally asks.

"Well this country is built upon democracy right?"

Emma nods before scoffing, "Supposedly"

"Well then have a meeting. Discuss it with everyone. Get a clear idea of who wants to leave and who wants to stay. Then set a time for using these beans. Give everyone time to prepare to leave and for those who choose to stay to sort out who will run things"

He nods, "I suppose I can't argue with that"

"Good, announce a meeting for a few days time. Give everyone a chance to discuss this with their families"

Emma moves to stand, "We'll need to talk together about our decision. I want Henry to have all of us in his life and this Regina is something we all need to agree on"

Regina stands too moving to face Emma, "Well Miss Swan, this is one of those rare times where we find ourselves in agreement. Meet me tomorrow?"

"Fine, 11 at the docks?" she suggest to my daughter who nods. "Come on kid, say goodbye to your Mom and let's go."

"Can't I stay here a little longer?" he whines.

Emma sighs, "How about I take you over to meet with your Dad and then he can bring you back here for dinner?"

Regina smiles gratefully at the blonde before beaming down at Henry. I can feel the excitement and happiness radiating off my daughter at the prospect of more time with her son and I can't help but smile in response.

"Okay" Henry replies before hugging Regina round the waist, "See you later Mom"

"Bye Henry, have fun with your Dad"

With a wave in my direction they leave. Regina watches them go, her eyes crinkling with sadness as they cross the threshold of this house. She sighs before busying herself gathering up the plates and piling them into the sink. I wish there was a magic cure for the kind of sadness that comes with letting your child go with someone else but I know from experience there isn't. The best I can do is grab a tea-towel and takes the soaking dishes from her hands.

"Thank you" she says quietly once everything's cleared up.

"That's alright dearie"

She looks away pensively before turning to look at me, "Do you want to go back there?"

I can't say I do. I have everything I need here. Sure there are bits and bobs I've left behind in my castle just in case but I won't be overly upset to never see them again. Besides my castle and its trinkets doesn't really matter in the long run. Once Bae left that place didn't feel like home anyway. Not until Belle but I pushed her away and what was I left with? Bitterness, hate, anger and loneliness. That land may have been home many years ago but it's not anymore. My home is where my family is. "Do you?" I ask in reply.

She tilts her head with an annoyed expression, "I want to know what you want"

"I want to be where you and Bae are whether that's this land or the Enchanted Forest"

"Which one would you rather live in?"

"Honestly this world. I know when I gave you the curse I told you that this would be someplace terrible but for me it isn't"

"Me neither. I like this world. I have freedom. I can be who I want to be. I can be happy here" she finishes wistfully.

"So you'll stay. I imagine Bae will too"

"I assume so. Did you meet this fiancée Henry mentioned?"

"No. I'm not sure bringing her here was the wisest decision"

"Well it's not like she'll be able to tell if everyone keeps quiet"

"Which will be so easy when we're all discussing whether or not to use magic beans to portal back to the Enchanted Forest?" I ask sarcastically in response.

"Fair enough. I think Henry wants to go" she says sadly.

I put my arm around her shoulders, "I think he'll stay where his parents are and I know all three of you want to be right here"

"Emma's parents are unlikely to stop trying to convince her that returning will be their happy ending"

"They are persistent but they are parents and I think, I know, that if they love Emma they'll stay with her too"

"Henry will like that"

"He will"

"I want him to be happy"

"I know."

"How?"

"Because it's what I want for you" she smiles in response before hugging me tightly, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I know I've been out of it but I want you to know how much I appreciate it"

I smile back patting her on the back, "You don't have to thank me Regina. If you need me I will always be here for you"

She smiles again before pulling back, "What about Belle?"

"What do you mean dearie?"

"She has no memory. Where will she go?"

I hadn't considered that. I assume she'll stay at the hospital but then again I can't know that for sure. "She'll probably remain here in Storybrooke since she is still unaware of the Enchanted Forest"

"She should still have a choice though Dad"

I smile sadly knowing that though she is right to offer Belle this choice now would be a disaster. She already freaks out about people calling her Belle, going in and telling her about magic portals and returning to the Enchanted Forest could only scare her and I'd rather not do that. I'd rather make sure she was safe and right now in this land she is.

"She should Regina but she doesn't remember. Offering her this choice will only serve to frighten her"

She sighs, "I know. It's just" she cuts herself off with a frown. I know what she means though, "You don't want her to be forced to stay here if she doesn't want it"

"Exactly"

"If it's any consolation I think she'd want to stay here"

"To be with you" she replies quietly.

"Yes" I say. In that moment I wish Belle were beside me too. She could tell us all what she wanted and we wouldn't have to worry. My heart pangs in my chest from missing her.

"Can we go see her?" Regina asks pulling me out of my thoughts. "Of course dearie" I respond immediately in spite of my surprise at this request from my daughter. Let's face it she and Belle have a complicated history to say the least but I won't pass up an opportunity to see Belle again.

* * *

The drive to the hospital is a quiet one, my daughter mostly just takes in Storybrooke since her mother's demise. "Nothing changed" she whispers, "Everything just goes on"

I sigh placing my hand on her shoulder, "It changed for you"

She turns and I can see the sadness in her eyes, "I lost my mother but for everyone else it just means they can go on. Why can't I?"

"Because she wasn't their mother and they didn't love her. You did. Death should not be something you get over quickly Regina, it's meant to take time. It hurts and that's horrible but unfortunately dearie you just have to carry on with that pain. Just know this you aren't alone, even if it seems that way at times because the rest of the world just keeps going you aren't"

A lone tear slips down her cheek as she nods.

"Why did you want to come here?" I ask.

"You didn't give up on me. You stayed with me because we're family. Belle's family too right? She tried to save me from my mother and I haven't even visited" she frowns guiltily before leaning her head on her hand. Her face settles into her impassive mayoral mask as a cover for such vulnerability but I can see it's getting harder for her to keep it up. "Does she know who I am?" she asks quietly.

"She knows about you"

"Okay" she replies before hurriedly getting out of the car. I hobble after her as best I can but naturally she has a speed advantage here. I have a feeling there's more to this visit than she's letting on but I know she'll tell me when she's ready.

I find her waiting impatiently in the lobby tapping her foot on the linoleum, the sharp edge of her heel echoing through the hall as a nurse gives her a disapproving look.

"Finally" she mutters when I approach.

"In case you hadn't noticed dearie I do have a cane, how fast were you expecting me to go?" I ask back in a slightly snarky tone.

She sighs before clenching and unclenching her fists slowly, "I'm sorry. I just need to see her"

"Why the urgency? Why now?"

She sucks her lower lip in before it juts out again in a slight pout. She bites down on it hard before releasing it with a small pop. When her eyes meet mine again she almost speaks before turning away to the nurse, "What room is Belle in?" she asks snappily.

"Regina" I say softly since she evaded my question. She doesn't answer instead focussing on the nurse who begrudgingly gives out the room number. Without a word she spins on her heels and walks over to the elevator.

My leg hurts slightly as I hurry to keep up with her. I use my cane to stop the door before sliding into the compartment. "Trying to get away?" I ask light-heartedly though my jokey tone is merely a cover for worry.

"I don't run from anything" she replies defiantly. I can't help but smile, she looks and sounds just like her stubborn younger self in that moment. I shake my head before answering, "Just questions?"

"Have you considered maybe I don't have an answer?" she responds defensively. Walls up.

"No dearie. I know you. You have an answer. You're just skirting the issue but Regina you should know by now avoidance gets you nowhere. It may let you keep your walls up but eventually the secrets and everything else piles up until those walls crumble"

She doesn't answer instead staring fixedly at the elevator door. I sigh doing the same. Fine. It's not like I can make her talk to me.

She stays silent until we get to Belle's room. My heart still catches and swells slightly when I see her. She smiles when she sees me and I grin back enjoying her happy reaction rather than the fearful one from when she was first here. "Hello" she greets.

"Hello again Belle"

She still frowns when I call her that. She turns to face Regina who has yet to speak or move, "I'm sorry who are you?" she asks extending her hand politely. My daughter doesn't take it. Instead she shakes her head and walks quickly out of the room. I frown as she goes. "Is she okay?" Belle asks.

"No" I may not know what's wrong but something is. "I'll be back" I add before exiting the room.

She hasn't gone far. I find her just outside the room, her shoulders shaking slightly with quiet sobs. I stand next to her placing my hand on her shoulder stilling her, "Regina?"

"She doesn't know" she says sadly.

"I know"

"My mother's dead and Belle doesn't even know who I am" the tears slip from her eyes again and I quickly pull her in for a hug. Her head falls onto my shoulder as she cries. I don't know what to say in this situation. I should have realised that what she wanted, what she's always wanted, is a mother. I wish I knew what to do. All I can do is hold her.

"I just-" it breaks off into muffled sobs.

"I know Regina. I know. She'll come back"

"You don't know that! My mother loved me for two minutes and then she died. Belle tried to look after me and she got shot. You got stabbed trying to save me. I accidentally poisoned my own son. Not everything works out okay and especially with me"

"Regina, none of this is your fault"

"Henry was"

"Yes but none of the rest were. Everyone who loves me gets hurt. Maybe it would be better if you all just left and I stayed here" she says defeatedly.

I frown before lifting her head up, "It would not be better Regina"

"You'd probably all be safer"

"We'd be more miserable"

At this she scoffs. "No we would be Regina. A lot of horrible things have happened to you and to the people you care about, that doesn't mean our lives would be better without you. Mine certainly wouldn't be."

"You sure? Look at all that's happened since you knew" she says flippantly.

"Regina, even if we weren't related and I didn't love you those events would have happened anyway. And if not those exact moments then ones like them. You being my daughter has improved my life not worsened it"

She doesn't say anything for a moment and instead just hugs me, "I'm glad you're my father" she admits it quietly , tentatively almost as if she's afraid that by saying it will disrespect her other father or that something bad will happen instantaneously. It doesn't. We just stay hugging before she pulls away again.

"I knew she didn't remember but part of me just thought that maybe – I was being foolish" she says shaking her head.

"No, you had hope. That isn't foolish. It's a good thing Regina" I may have done my best to drum it out of her back when I was directing her towards the dark magic, when I needed her to be devoid of hope. Now I wish I hadn't made her so afraid to hope. After love it's one of the most powerful things a human heart can have.

"If you say so"

"Trust me Regina."

"I'll try" she says eventually with a small smile.

"I'll take it"

She smiles again before stepping backwards, "Do you want a few minutes with Belle?"

"You can come in again if you'd like as well dearie"

"No, I think I'll just wait in the car"

"If you're sure?" I ask squeezing her shoulder again.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine" she says insistently. When I don't move she holds her hand out impatiently "Keys?" she asks with a smile.

"Right of course dearie" I reply dropping them in her hands, "I'll be down in a minute" I assure and she nods before walking off again. I wait for her to get to the elevator again, she notices me staring and arches an eyebrow mouthing that she's fine. As the door closes she raises her hand in a small wave and I chuckle waving back.

* * *

I don't stay with Belle long. Whilst I love spending time with her, without her memory it's still awkward and uncertain. I sigh wishing I could work out the answer to that problem soon. After a lingering goodbye I exit the room. As I leave I rub my hands over my face. My heart aches. There's the joy of knowing she's alive and then the pain of knowing she doesn't know who I am. It's hard to know whether to be happy or cry.

Hope. Love. These are meant to be the most powerful magics of the heart and yet neither is working right now. I walk out of the hospital with a pensive frown. I told my daughter about how important hope was. I know I can't let my faith slide but still a small part of my brain screams out at me that this whole situation is doomed. That's the part I'm trying my best to ignore.

I exit the hospital before looking around with a confused frown. Regina should be out here. A cold shiver runs down my spine. _Don't panic yet when you don't know if anything is wrong_. "Regina?" I call out before walking over to my car.

The door is open.

I know Regina enough to know she wouldn't have just left the car unattended. I pause when my foot hits something. Car keys.

I pick them up looking for any other signs but there's nothing. Just an open door and dropped car keys. Now I panic.

_Uh-oh. Always happy to hear what you think. Next update shall hopefully be a bit quicker. Thanks for reading :)_


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